Dark Heart
by Larkflight
Summary: Bluestar has been dead for moons and Tigerstar is leader. But Darkstripe is rising as the new Tigerclaw...sequel to Red Claw..R&R!
1. Allegiances

**_Hi, it's Larky! The first couple of chapters are already written because they're on my mibba account (my name's MoonFall). And some of the names will be a little different...well because I highly doubt Tigerstar will name every warrior the same thing Firestar named them..._**

**ThunderClan**

_LEADER_- Tigerstar - dark brown tabby tom with unusually long claws, amber eyes

_DEPUTY_ - Mousefur - slender, small dusky brown she-cat with yellow eyes

_MEDICINE_ _CAT_ - Yellowfang - dark gray she-cat with round orange eyes, formerly of ShadowClan  
Apprentice, Cinderpaw

_WARRIORS_

Whitestorm - big white tom, yellow eyes  
Apprentice, Ashpaw

Darkstripe - sleek black-and-silver tabby tom, vivid blue eyes  
Apprentice, Fernpaw

Runningwind - swift tabby tom

Longtail - pale tabby tom with dark, black stripes, green eyes

Fireheart - flame-colored ginger tom with emerald-green eyes  
Apprentice, Cloudpaw

Brackenfur - golden brown tabby tom, amber eyes

Dustpelt - dark brown tabby tom

Sandstorm - pale ginger she-cat with pale green eyes

Brightstream - ginger-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes

Thornclaw - big golden tabby tom

Swiftfoot - black-and-white tom

_APPRENTICES_

Cinderpaw - fluffy dark gray she-cat, sparkling blue eyes

Cloudpaw - long-furred white tom with blue eyes

Fernpaw - pale gray she-cat (with darker flecks) and pale green eyes

Ashpaw - pale gray with darker flecks, tom, dark blue eyes

_QUEENS_

Frostfur - pure white queen and dark blue eyes

Brindleface - pretty tabby

Goldenflower - pale ginger coat

Speckletail - pale tabby, oldest nursery queen

Willowpelt - very pale gray queen, unusual blue-to-green eyes

_ELDERS_

Halftail - dark brown tabby tom, yellow eyes, forrmerly Sparrowpelt, no tail

Smallear - gray tom with small ears; oldest ThunderClan cat

Patchpelt - small black-and-white tom, amber eyes

One-eye - pale gray she-cat, virtually blind and deaf

Dappletail - tortoiseshell she-cat with a lovely dappled coat

**ShadowClan**

_LEADER_ - Nightstar - old black tom

_DEPUTY_ - Cinderfur - thin gray tom

_MEDICINE_ _CAT_ - Runningnose - small gray-and-white tom

_WARRIORS_

Stumpytail - brown tabby tom

Brownpelt - small brown she-cat

Wetfoot - gray tabby tom  
Apprentice, Oakpaw (small white tom)

Littlecloud - very small tabby tom

Whitethroat - black tom with white chest and paws

_QUEENS_

Dawncloud - small tabby queen

Darkflower - black queen with green eyes

Tallpoppy - young light tabby queen with long legs

**WindClan**

_LEADER_ - Tallstar - black-and-white tom with a long tail, amber eyes

_DEPUTY_ - black tom with twisted paw, yellow eyes

_MEDICINE_ _CAT_ - Barkface - short-tailed brown tom

_WARRIORS_

Mudclaw - mottled dark brown tom  
Apprentice, Webpaw (tabby tom)

Tornear - tabby tom  
Apprentice, Tawnypaw (white tom)

Onewhisker - brown tabby tom  
Apprentice, Whitepaw (white she-cat, green eyes)

Runningbrook - pale gray tabby she-cat

_QUEENS_

Ashfoot - gray queen

Morningflower - tortoiseshell queen

**RiverClan**

_LEADER_ - Crookedstar - huge light-colored brown tabby with a twisted jaw

_DEPUTY_ - Leopardfur - beautiful spotted golden tabby she-cat, amber eyes

_MEDICINE_ _CAT_ - Mudfur - long-haired brown tom

_WARRIORS_

Blackclaw - young smoky black tom  
Apprentice, Heavypaw (big tabby tom)

Stonefur - gray tom with battle-scarred ears  
Apprentice, Shadepaw (sleek black she-cat)

Loudbelly - dark brown tom

Graystripe - long-haired gray tom, formerly of ThunderClan

_QUEENS_

Mistyfoot - dark blue-gray she-cat, blue eyes

Mosspelt - tortoiseshell queen

_ELDERS_

Graypool - thin gray she-cat with patchy fur and a scarred muzzle, yellow eyes

_**Okay, so there are the allegiances! I'm hoping to have at least 50 comments by the sixth chapter, so...yeah...oh, and I guess there will be no Blackstar now, since Tigerstar doesn't join ShadowClan. And that means later all of the ShadowClan names will be different. And have you every heard that when you change one thing in the past, the future is different? So there will be no need for a journey to the Sun-Drown-Place later on. Nope. Forest 4ever! Mwahaha... *Larkflight***_

**_Look at me, changing Warriors._**


	2. Prologue

_**Fireheart's POV! Only one, i think. This story is mainly about Darkstripe, so I think for the most part, I'll stick to him. Believe it or not, Darkstripe is a complex little kitty. *Larkflight***_

The cold stars from the heavens above blazed with blinding light if they were stared at for too long. The forest was eerily silent, frigid and dark. It may have been newleaf, but the woods were certainly freezing. Even frost skimmed the surface of the black grass.

A lone tom padded through this forest. His fur stood on end, for he did not know what to expect in this cold, dark place. In the real world, it was Greenleaf, not newleaf as it appeared to be here, or even leaf-bare, as it felt on his pelt. A brisk wind cut through his fluffed fur, and the bristling tom hissed. When would these dreams end? He had never met a single cat out here before, not once since the night of Bluestar's death. Once, he'd been visited by StarClan not too uncommonly, and it scared him not to see any of them. Have they abandoned me for good? Though every time he'd done it, it had been in vain, he called softly. "Spottedleaf? Bluestar?" There was no response. But as the warrior tom padded along frightened, a dim light appeared at the end of his path. "There is an end to this forest after all!" The tom picked up his pace and bounded for the edge of the darkest forest.

When the warrior tom burst into the open, he found himself on an open moor. He looked up and he could see the stars…which meant StarClan could finally see him as well. His fur was colorful in the night world once more; ginger, the color of flame. His glittering emerald eyes shone like a green moon in the silver-washed night. The forest seemed even darker behind him as the orange tom dropped to his back and rolled in the moonlight. It would have looked silly to any other cat…but there were no other cats around. The ginger cat stood on sturdy fiery legs and loped farther and farther from the trapping woods. He was afraid if he remained too close, it would swallow him into its clutches as it had every night for moons.

The flame-pelted warrior could not see the tops of the trees anymore as he reached the rise of the moor. He was bathing in pure moonlight, and his own ginger fur was now dyed white. The glory of the stars brightened and began to swirl to the earth. The warrior sighed. StarClan had come at last.

"Fireheart, my apprentice," a gray she-cat forming from the moonlight purred. "It has been moons. How are you?"

Fireheart glared at his former mentor and leader. "You've trapped me in that place for a season. Why must StarClan punish me at night while ThunderClan does by day, Bluestar?"

Bluestar tipped her head, and wrapped her star-filled tail around her paws. "Tell me what I wrong, Fireheart."

"Ever since Tigerstar became leader, no one trusts me anymore," Fireheart sighed. "Cloudpaw is alright, because he has no reason to hate me, but he repeats things his den mates and warriors say about me. Sandstorm doesn't trust me anymore…for StarClan's sake, she's having kits with Dustpelt. She'll move into the nursery soon. Everything's gone wrong, Bluestar, and I haven't done anything to deserve it."

Bluestar's tip of her tail touched the ginger cat's shoulder lightly. "That's not so terrible, Fireheart. That is only two cats."

"It's all of ThunderClan!" Fireheart wailed. "No cat dares approaches me in the warrior den, and now that Graystripe's gone, I'm utterly alone."

"What about Yellowfang and Cinderpaw?"

"They do not hate me," Fireheart admitted. "But they are so busy lately, because of RiverClan and WindClan. Tigerstar refuses to remain friends with Tallstar, and now WindClan warriors are close to engaging battle against ThunderClan. Tigerstar is telling lies about me, I just know it."

Bluestar's tail whisked away, and her blue eyes were sharper. "Now there's no reason to blame Tigerstar. He is a wonderful leader, Fireheart, and there is absolutely no reason to say the things you do about him."

"Why do you defend Tigerstar?" Fireheart hissed to the former ThunderClan leader. "I know he killed you, Bluestar!"

The beautiful gray she-cat hissed with fury. "Tigerstar is not the cat you portray him as! He did not murder me!"

"Even in death you don't believe me!" Fireheart screeched, orange tail lashing. "You know I'm right about him; you're in StarClan, you know the truth!"

"Can't you just admit that you were wrong about Tigerstar?" Bluestar hissed softly. "Whoever he was before, that life was stripped away when he gained the nine lives of a leader. The ambition for power went with it."

Fireheart shook his fiery head. "I refuse to believe that, Bluestar. I shall prove his guilt. After I do, no cat in all the Clans will want to see his face." The ginger warrior turned away from his former leader, and ran farther into the moor. The StarClan warrior watched him go but made no attempt to stop him.

When Fireheart passed a puddle of starry water, a slippery outline of a cat formed from it. A beautiful dark tortoiseshell sat calmly beside the little pond. "Going somewhere, Fireheart?"

"Spottedleaf," he whispered. The two cats pushed muzzles against each other, but the she-cat drew back, seeing the uncertainty in his eyes. "Fireheart, what's wrong?"

"It's Bluestar," Fireheart admitted. "She doesn't believe me when I say Tigerstar is a traitor." He looked into her amber eyes. "You believe me, right Spottedleaf?"

Spottedleaf twined her tail with his. "I believe he was once one. And I trust you, Fireheart, unlike those ThunderClan warriors. I may have given one of Tigerstar's lives to him, but I did it so everything would be peaceful once more."

"Spottedleaf, how could you!" Fireheart spat. "I trusted you, and you give a life to that piece of fox-dung?"

Spottedleaf waited until the ThunderClan warrior stopped, and then mewed, "Dear Fireheart. I believe that your feud against Tigerstar will not last until death."

"I don't understand."

"Good," Spottedleaf purred. "Understanding before learning is like eating a mouse before catching one. It can't be done." Her dappled tail flicked to the rising sun on the horizon. "The eyes of StarClan cannot last forever, for morning must come. Goodbye, Fireheart, and trust your heart, not your conceptions or misconceptions. You will know what is right someday." She licked him between his ears. "I love you, Fireheart."

"And I you," he purred. In an instant, Spottedleaf was gone, and the starry moor disappeared in a flash of light. Fireheart blinked open his eyes to see a dark-pelted brown tom prodding him in his side, staring down at him with sharp copper eyes. "Wake up, Fireheart. You're needed for a dawn patrol."

"Yes, Dustpelt," Fireheart sighed. The brown warrior grumbled something, and then padded over to wake Swiftfoot. The flame-colored warrior padded into the early-lit camp, and gazed up to the pale sky. _Oh, Spottedleaf. I need your help now more than ever._

_**Frankly, I don't really like Fireheart. I used to, but he turned into a creepy little cat when he became Firestar. HELPING other Clans. I'm sorry Firestar, but no other leader in the history of the Clans does that on a regular basis. It's plain stalkerish. I think I'll do Tigerstar next! *Larkflight***_


	3. Chapter One

_**So, here's Chapter one. I have to write a disclaimer for the entire story, so here's mine. **_

**_DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of the warrior cats by Erin Hunter because if I did, Firestar and Leafpool would be dead, Squirrelflight would be a RiverClan cat and have kits with Hawkfrost, and Hollyleaf wouldn't have supposedly died. No offense Dovepaw, but nobody wants you. WE WANT HOLLYLEAF!_**

The dark tabby opened his eyes, blinking amber. Morning light slipped through the lichen of the tom's den, which had originally woken him. A fresh thrush laid by his mossy nest, and the tabby purred. Ashpaw's scent lingered on the prey; he would have to thank the gray apprentice later. After gulping down the bird, the ThunderClan leader rose to his paws and padded out of his den.

As soon as the dark brown tabby tom stepped out of his den, some cat greeted him. "Good morning, Tigerstar!" It was Longtail, the pale tabby warrior and one of Tigerstar's close friends.

"Hello, Longtail," Tigerstar murmured. "Has the dawn patrol returned?"

"Yes, they just came back a moment ago," Longtail meowed. "Mousefur led it; she brought Whitestorm, Dustpelt, and Fireheart."

Tigerstar's fur instinctively, but he shook it away. He couldn't anger every time he heard the kittypet's name. "Has a hunting party been sent?"

"Yes, Mousefur arranged that earlier. Thornclaw led Brightstream and Darkstripe."

"Good." Tigerstar nodded farewell to the tabby tom, and directed his path towards the nursery. When he ducked inside, a pair of yellow eyes met his. A beautiful ginger queen raised her head where she'd been daydreaming next to her sleeping kits. The pale tabby stripes on her fur were barely visible in the cool darkness. "Tigerstar," she purred. "Have you come to see how your kits are doing?"

"Partly." The tabby leader padded to his mate's side. "How are they, Goldenflower?" His eyes searched over a tortoiseshell she-kit and a tiny little copy of Tigerstar. Tawnykit and Bramblekit.

"They're doing just fine, love," the ginger queen promised. "Bramblekit is the more adventurous of the two. Tawnykit refuses to leave the den yet." She sighed, and gazed deeply into Tigerstar's eyes. "Did you really need to send Graystripe's kits away? I miss little Stormkit and Featherkit."

"There was no need for war with RiverClan," Tigerstar growled. "We are already against WindClan, thanks to their raids. Those rabbit-brained cats call themselves warriors? Stealing ThunderClan prey like they do?"

"The moors are emptying," Goldenflower whispered. "At the last Gathering, I spoke with the WindClan queen Morningflower. She was thinner and scrawny as a leaf-bare squirrel! And I'm worried her kits aren't getting enough milk, and…"

"Goldenflower…" Tigerstar trailed. "Whatever is happening in WindClan, ThunderClan must come first." His coppery yellow eyes were serious and probing. "Would you rather Bramblekit and Tawnykit starved?"

Goldenflower's amber eyes opened wide. "No, of course not!" She pulled the two kits closer to her side. "I'm only sympathetic for WindClan kits, that is all!" Bramblekit squirmed in his sleep, and Tigerstar couldn't help purring. He touched his nose to the tiny tom's little striped ear, and the little tabby let out a little mew.

"My little warrior," Tigerstar rumbled. "What a leader he could become."

"Only after you, my love," Goldenflower meowed affectionately. "By the way, Darkstripe wanted to speak with you when you woke. He should return from hunting any time now." A familiar dark silver pelt flashed in front of the den. "There he is now."

Tigerstar nodded. "Very well. I'll visit you three later, Goldenflower. Goodbye." He licked his two kits and then nuzzled his pale yellow-furred mate before padding out of the nursery. Tigerstar stalked into the sunny clearing, and as soon as the light hit his pelt, he hissed under his breath. "Damn sun. My fur can't stand all of this heat. I'll burn up."

"Then come into the shadows. We need to talk." Tigerstar turned his head to see a pair of vivid blue eyes glaring at him under the shadows of a small alcove behind the nursery, big enough for an adult cat to stand comfortably in. The ThunderClan leader stalked behind to where a nearly-black tom crouched in the dark.

"There you are, Darkstripe," the brown tabby tom meowed. "Goldenflower said you wanted to talk to me?"

Darkstripe pinned his ears back and grinned benevolently. "I was only wondering if our agreement was still intact."

Tigerstar's eyes flashed, and he swung his huge head left to right. And then he leapt into the alcove, and used his huge paws to push Darkstripe back. The black-silver tabby's blue eyes glowed with indignation. "Are you positively mouse-brained? Do you _want _every cat in ThunderClan to know about our arrangement?"

"All I want to know is if it's still our agreement," the young warrior hissed to his former mentor. "If Mousefur wasn't deputy for some reason, I am, right?"

"Yes," Tigerstar sighed. Ambition glittered in the black tabby's vivid eyes, and the older tabby hissed, "But don't get your hopes up, Darkstripe. Mousefur is a young warrior, younger than you. It will be moons before she is even a senior warrior, let alone ready to join StarClan."

"But if WindClan go into battle against us…"

"Mousefur is the ThunderClan deputy!" Tigerstar spat. "Not you, Darkstripe. There won't be a Darkstar any time soon."

Darkstripe pulled his lips back into a snarl, but he didn't say anything else. Tigerstar nodded his head angrily to his old friend, and trudged hard on his paws out of the shadows. The dark tabby leader continued to walk in the direction farthest from the silver-black warrior until he was confronted by a dusky brown pelt.

"Hello, Mousefur," Tigerstar greeted his young deputy, amber eyes gleaming. "How did the patrol go?"

The small brown she-cat looked uncharacteristically furious. "WindClan! If I ever see their scrawny faces again, I'll…"

"What is it this time?"

"A WindClan patrol crossed our borders and laid scent markers all over _our_ territory! And there was prey blood as well!" Mousefur growled. "I even saw one of them leave. It was Mudclaw."

Tigerstar turned his muzzle towards the fern tunnel. "And after all ThunderClan has done for WindClan, this is how they repay us? By taking our prey?"

Mousefur unsheathed her claws involuntarily. "I sent Fireheart and Dustpelt to search for any other WindClan scents."

Another cat approached the leader and deputy. It was Whitestorm, the senior white warrior. He carried a huge rabbit in his jaws, one that would feed the entire nursery. "And this is what they found," meowed Mousefur. Whitestorm tossed the mangled rabbit towards Tigerstar, and the bloody prey landed with a thud by his paws. The windblown scent of WindClan filled his nose then, and he wrinkled it, turning his head away.

"Filthy rogues," Tigerstar growled. "WindClan is asking for open war."

"Yes, they are," one of the scouting warriors, a brown tom called Dustpelt, spat. "If it's alright with you, Tigerstar, I suggest we attack at dawn. Straight into the WindClan camp."

"But that's horrible!" Mousefur objected. "The WindClan cats will be totally at risk!"

"Exactly!" Dustpelt licked his lips like he was tasting mouse blood. "That will be the beauty of it. No cat will expect it!"

"That will endanger the lives of kits and elders!" Whitestorm bellowed, and Dustpelt ducked his head down, pinning his ears back.

"Just an idea," the young brown tom muttered.

Tigerstar nodded at the three sparring cats. "I shall address the Clan for their opinion. If we are to attack WindClan, it will be with the entire consent of the Clan."

Dustpelt seemed almost surprised. "Tigerstar…this is a leader's decision. If you want to attack, then I think…"

"I will not do this without ThunderClan's support!" Tigerstar raced past the three warriors and leapt onto the Highrock. Normally, he would sit back and enjoy the view of the camp; he had waited for these days for his whole life, and it pleased him to be able to look down on his Clan. But there was no time for that now. "All cats old enough to catch their own prey, meet beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" He almost shocked himself, using Bluestar's old call, and Sunstar and his father Pinestar before him used it as well. He had been only a kit when Pinestar had run away. A quick bolt of anger ran through him towards the red-brown kittypet.

Cats of many different shades of colors-brown, white, ginger, gray, and tabby-all followed each other to look up to their tabby leader. Tigerstar noticed Dustpelt and Longtail sat closest to the front, while Darkstripe and Fireheart sat near the back, but not together of course. "Cats of ThunderClan!" Tigerstar roared. "If there was ever a time for battle against WindClan, it would be now. Whether or not we shall do it today will be your choice."

Yowls of approval rang through the Clan. But a few cats looked disconcerted. For instance, the young she-cat Brightstream called, "Why battle against WindClan now?"

Tigerstar dipped his head. "Dustpelt, tell us what you found." Mousefur's yellow eyes sparked for a moment with surprise, but then melted away. Tigerstar's claws unsheathed and curved into the stone. The deputy was not the only cat that was on that patrol, so why should she have any more right than Dustpelt to speak? _Because Dustpelt's your ally, _a voice told Tigerstar

_Shut up!_ He told it back. Tigerstar zoned back in to the Clan's conversation, and found that Dustpelt was finishing. When the tom was done, Tigerstar nodded. "WindClan is asking for battle. I believe we should strike at dawn."

The Clan yowled their approval once more. But another cat stood up. It was none other than Fireheart. "We should not attack WindClan."

Jeers erupted from cats around him, and Longtail taunted, "Why, is the little kittypet afraid of big warriors?" Fireheart pinned his ears back at that, and his apprentice Cloudpaw bristled his thick white fur and his blue eyes smoldered. It looked as if the Twoleg pet kit would embarrass himself before the Clan, but Fireheart hissed something to him, and the white apprentice sat down.

"I don't even think Tallstar knows about this prey-stealing!" Fireheart explained. "For all we know, his warriors may be acting on their own."

_And hedgehogs fly._ "That may or may not be true," Tigerstar admitted. "But it's not reason not to hold WindClan guilty. We shall attack at dawn!" The Clan screeched with joy, but some cats still looked uncertain. Whitestorm signaled for his turn to speak, and Tigerstar nodded to the wise warrior.

"Dustpelt mentioned a battle strategy before," the senior tom brought up. "About attacking WindClan in their own camp."

Many ThunderClan cats agreed with this, but one cat Tigerstar would not have expected to speak did so. An old tortoiseshell stood on her paws, and raised her voice. "ThunderClan should not attack WindClan in their own camp," meowed the she-cat.

"And why not, Dappletail?" Swiftfoot called. "Dustpelt's plan is a fine idea."

The elder queen hissed at the young black-and-white tom sharply. "I was a young warrior at the time ThunderClan attacked WindClan in their camp."

Smallear picked up her words. "As was I. I remember we thought it was a sign from StarClan to fight in their heartland."

"And destroy their medicine supplies!" One-eye added.

"I was Patchpaw, and I had to guard the camp," Patchpelt rasped. "But my sister Leopardpaw almost died. Your mother," the tom added, looking straight at Tigerstar. "Bluestar's mentor, Stonepelt, had to retire from being a warrior because of that battle."

Tigerstar dipped his head to the elders who had been young warriors the time Pinestar had made his mistake. He remembered Leopardfoot telling him it had been Bluestar's mother, Moonflower's, death. "Then has any cat another idea?"

"How about we attack a patrol," Sandstorm, the young queen, put in. "And lure warriors from the camp?"

Tigerstar nodded. "They must be punished somehow. Cats of ThunderClan, do you agree?" Caterwauls of approval rang, and Dustpelt nuzzled his mate for her idea. "Then attack we shall, and at dawn as well."

Tigerstar leapt from his post at the top of the Highrock, and he met the green gaze of Fireheart. The ginger tom searched his leader's eyes, and Tigerstar finally made him look away. _I know you know my secret. But you will not be a warrior of ThunderClan for long._

_**Soree bout the spazzing over Hollyleaf...but i miss her! she was my fav character! After Chapter four, you guys will have to wait a while before seeing more of Dark Heart...sorry *Larkflight***_


	4. Chapter Two

When dawn came, the sky was a pale gray. A faint rain was falling from the sky, and it dripped over the mouth of the warrior den. Darkstripe slept near the mouth of it, and when he felt the rain fall on his face, it woke him. He blinked open his bright blue eyes, and walked into the clearing.

Rain lightly sprinkled his dark tabby fur, and he stalked over to the fresh-kill pile, feeling hunger ache in his empty stomach. He pulled a mouse from the top and began to scarf it down. In a few licks, the fat prey was gone. Darkstripe heard a faint snoring coming not from one of the dens, but from the front of the camp. A flame-colored warrior curled up at the fern tunnel, flicking his orange ears to chase the flies away. Darkstripe hissed loudly, and bounded towards the sleeping guard. "Fireheart! Wake up!"

Fireheart woke suddenly, blinking his emerald eyes in alarm. He brought himself to his paws and began to look quite foolish. "What do you think you're doing?" Darkstripe snapped. "Sleeping on vigil of the camp! What kind of warrior are you? What if WindClan had invaded during the night?"

"Well, they didn't!" the younger tom snarled indignantly. "I still don't think WindClan should be at war with us! They're hungry…"

"Stupid kittypet!" Darkstripe yowled, bringing waking warriors out of their dens to see what the noise was about. "Do you have any idea what the warrior code means? ThunderClan comes first, before any of your dumb conceptions of WindClan!"

Mousefur padded towards the sparring warriors, her yellow eyes looking between the two of them. "What's going on here, Darkstripe?"

The undeserving deputy made Darkstripe's fur crawl, but he meowed icily, "This young warrior was sleeping on guard duty. I was waking him up, and when I questioned him, he began to utter nonsense about WindClan."

"Like?"

"How WindClan was superior, and how ThunderClan will be destroyed today," Darkstripe quickly lied. Fireheart's leafy glare blazed with disbelief, but Mousefur and the rest of the Clan fell for it. After all…who would they rather believe, a Clanborn, loyal warrior or a loud-mouth, betraying kittypet?"

"Fireheart, you shall not fight in the battle today," Mousefur snapped. "If you can't be trusted to guard the Clan, then who knows if you'd turn against us in battle? Talking like you do of WindClan. You shall not even keep watch over the Clan while the warriors are away. Report to your den, and stay there until the fighters return." Tigerstar was watching a couple lengths away, nodding approvingly at his deputy. Darkstripe sneered silently at the shamed young tom, and the ginger warrior lowered his head and fled to the warriors den. A few warriors meowed taunting words after the embarrassed kittypet. An angry hiss came from the medicine den, and the Clan silenced, turning to see Yellowfang.

"Have you all turned to stone?" the old gray medicine cat spat. "Are you warriors or mice? Go to WindClan, and fight you flea-brained cowards!" Her orange eyes flamed with anger for the warriors who'd taunted the cat she treated as her own son.

"Fine," Tigerstar meowed, stepping before his Clan. Darkstripe sat back on his haunches when his former friend began to speak to the waiting cats. The idiot leader would not get rid of Mousefur? Fine. He could wait. He had all the time in the world for power, and that pitiful excuse for a she-cat would go first.

"Warriors of ThunderClan, the time has come to take revenge on WindClan!" Tigerstar roared. "I myself shall lead the first patrol. I will take Swiftfoot, Whitestorm, Runningwind, Thornclaw, and Dustpelt. Mousefur, you will follow behind us with Longtail, Darkstripe, Ashpaw, Fernpaw, and Brightstream. The remaining warriors will guard the camp. If necessary, Fernpaw will take messages during the battle back to camp in case of a need of reinforcements. But I doubt we will." The dark tabby flicked his tail to a young gray she-cat. "Cinderpaw, you will come with us. We will need a medicine cat onsight, but Yellowfang will remain at camp. Is everyone clear?" The Clan agreed. "Then, to me warriors of ThunderClan! This will go down in the Clan's history as a day of ThunderClan victory!" The charismatic leader whisked his patrol away, and they padded into the woods towards Fourtrees, and later, WindClan territory. Darkstripe and the other cats of Mousefur's patrol waited a bit until the sounds of the first cats were gone.

"Pointless," Darkstripe spat to Longtail. "I should be in the first attack. I'm a better warrior than the whole of them!"

The pale tabby tom nodded, and said wistfully, "Do you notice a change in Tigerstar?"

"Hungry for battle, listening to no other, just as always," Darkstripe muttered.

"Yes, but the old Tigerstar wouldn't have asked for the Clan's opinion before attack. The old Tigerstar would have let us be in the first attack." Mousefur meowed loudly, and led her patrol into the forest. The sun had risen into the sky by the time the warriors reached Fourtrees, and at that, Mousefur stopped. She called her patrol together, and Darkstripe and Longtail sat together, glaring at the young deputy. She called Brightstream to her. "Brightstream, do you hear any battle sounds?"

The young ginger-and-white warrior's eyes shined worriedly. "No, I don't. Perhaps the battle is over?"

"If it is over, who won?" Mousefur mused darkly. The small brown cat turned her head to the moor. "I scent no blood either, and I see no cat. Oh StarClan, Tigerstar didn't take the warriors into the camp, did he? He couldn't have."

"It is the only practical thing, Mousefur," Darkstripe called. _Mouse-brain!_ "Taking ThunderClan into WindClan's camp will warn them away for good."

"To the camp, ThunderClan," Mousefur ordered, ignoring Darkstripe, who lashed his tail. Mousefur hadn't the right to ignore him! He was older for StarClan's sake! The undersize deputy raced at a quick pace across the stretches of moorland, and while they ran, Darkstripe brought himself to the front, past his apprentice Fernpaw.

"Mousefur!" he hissed, but the yellow-eyed she-cat ignored him. "Mousefur! Listen to me! The only strategy that would get WindClan's attention would be to attack their camp! Only a mouse-brain would think that would be stupid!"

"Do not say that about your elders and your deputy!" Mousefur screeched, stopping to clout Darkstripe on the side of his head. Cats of StarClan ran inside his head, but he remained steady. He stood still for a moment, but then threw himself at the furious brown she-cat.

"Why, you little ass!" Darkstripe yowled, and he scored his unsheathed claws across her face. She battered his sides with her paws, but he realized she was only pushing him away. He dug his claws into her thin, velvety fur, and she howled. Scarlet blood flowered on her pelt, and she heaved him away, tossing him onto the grass. Darkstripe scrambled towards her.

"Stop!" Mousefur yowled, and thrust Darkstripe to the ground. The warrior remained still, feeling the gazes of his shocked Clan mates on his fur. He sat on his paws, and licked his chest fur. He tasted Mousefur's blood mixing with his. "Darkstripe," she meowed in a flat voice. "You attacked one of your own Clan. You will not fight in this battle as well as Fireheart. I cannot spare any other warrior for your treachery, so you shall walk back to ThunderClan alone."

Longtail gasped. "What? Mousefur, that's incredibly dangerous! Alone on WindClan territory, and during a battle against them as well! Dakrstripe could get killed!" _I can defend myself, Longtail_, Darkstripe thought.

"If he remains low and doesn't do anything else stupid, he'll be fine," Mousefur spat coldly. Her yellow eyes were as frigid as a winter moon. "Go, Darkstripe. Tigerstar and I will further discuss your punishment later."

"Tigerstar is my friend," Darkstripe spat. "He won't allow this."

"We shall see. Tigerstar is not only your friend, but leader of all of ThunderClan. He should be as fair to you as any other warrior." Darkstripe hissed at Mousefur, and then streamed back towards ThunderClan's forest.

The sun was high in the sky, making Darkstripe's pelt burn. He was still running across the WindClan moor. He was following the trail left by the ThunderClan patrol, but he had been running for a long time, and he was sure it hadn't been this far on the way there. He slowed himself to a walk, and padded through tall stalks of heather. He kept his tail and ears down so no WindClan cat would see him, but he wasn't sure the light scent of heather would hide his own smell forever. He knew some WindClan patrol would find him soon.

Darkstripe stalked farther into the plant life, feeling the sun beat his black fur till he was sure he was on fire. His blue eyes narrowed, and he unsheathed his claws that dug into the dirt. He looked wretchedly to the blinding blue sky, and sank onto his haunches. His parched mouth broke open and let out a soundless wail. If he went on any farther without a drink, he would die.

Padding onward, Darkstripe began to see a glimmer of sunlight before him. _Water! _The thirsty ThunderClan warrior picked up into a run as he leapt for the pool of water, but as soon as he leaned down to drink, he felt a pair of eyes staring at him. He dared himself to look up to see a pale gray she-cat with pure gold eyes gazing at him wonderously. Her scent was downwind, but Darkstripe knew instantly she was a WindClan cat. "What are you doing on my territory?" she demanded.

Darkstripe usually snapped if a cat spoke to him that way, but he was so tired and felt so helpless, he sighed and sat back. "I'm sorry. I just got…"

"Separated?"

"Lost," he snapped. "You WindClan cats may have no trees, but your moors are endless."

The she-cat purred amusedly, and began to lick her paw. "I'm Runningbrook, by the way. And you are?"

"Darkstripe," the black-silver tabby rumbled.

Runningbrook paused, and looked down from her wash. "Oh. I've heard of you. But you don't seem as mean as everyone says."

"Who says I'm mean?" Darkstripe spat.

"Didn't you hear?" the she-cat purred. "Everyone! Mudclaw said you'd kill a kit just by looking."

"Well, tell Mudclaw to keep to himself," Darkstripe muttered, and Runningbrook burst into _mrrows_ of laughter.

"You're funny," Runningbrook mewed. "Well, whatever that grumpy old pile of rabbit bones said, I like you. I think I'll let you go back to your territory without mentioning this to Tallstar or Deadfoot….oh, I guess not Deadfoot."

"Why?" Darkstripe demanded. "What happened to Deadfoot? What happened in the battle?"

Runningbrook's eyes actually grew dark now. "Deadfoot was killed by one of your warriors, ThunderClan cat. Pinned down and bitten in the throat, he was. I had never seen anything more gruesome before."

"Were any ThunderClan cats killed?"

"None that I saw…"

"Did you see a small brown she-cat with yellow eyes?"

Runningbrook was silent for a moment, but then she meowed, "Oh yes, I did! Mousefur, right? The new ThunderClan deputy. Why do you ask? Is she your mate?"

"No!" Darkstripe spat, surprising Runningbrook for a heartbeat. The thought disgusted him. "No, I was only curious if her patrol arrived on time."

"No, actually, they didn't," Runningbrook contradicted. "The battle was over when those cats came. Tigerstar was already dead…"

"Excuse me?" the ThunderClan warrior choked. "Tigerstar is dead?"

"Not forever. He just lost a life," Runningbrook explained. The pretty gray warrior clawed the ground. "Serves ThunderClan right…" She glanced back up at me. "Oh, sorry."

"You should be!"

"Hey, we lost our deputy forever!" Runningbrook hissed. "Don't be defensive with me, Darkstripe, especially on my territory!"

"I'm sorry," Darkstripe apologized, dipping his head to the attractive warrior. "Just chase me off, why don't you?"

"I should…"

"Do it now."

"Well, Mudclaw will have my fur for this, but I don't want to, Darkstripe," Runningbrook purred. "You're not being aggressive, and…I kind of like you."

"Me too," Darkstripe admitted. "You are friendly." Runningbrook nodded, and turned away. With a piercing heart, Darkstripe had the feeling that wasn't what the gray warrior meant.

"Go on, Darkstripe," Runningbrook rumbled. "Before a patrol sees you." She pointed her tail north. "That's where ThunderClan is. Good luck." She dipped her head in farewell, and ducked into the heather, but not before covering his scent with her own.

Darkstripe padded back to camp, and he couldn't help looking back to where Runningbrook had stood. What had happened? While he walked, a cold thought entered his head. Tigerstar had lost a life. He had eight more lives until Mousefur became leader of ThunderClan. In that time, he would need to gain her trust. And the conversation with Runningbrook had given him an idea. Darkstripe smiled darkly, and bounded into the forest. He knew just where to start.


	5. Chapter Three

Darkstripe padded into camp, feeling ThunderClan Clan mates turn their attention to his entrance. Brightstream looked up from where she shared tongues with Cloudpaw. The young ginger warrior's eyes flashed accusingly before she herded the white apprentice and herself out of his sight. Ashpaw shuddered when he looked at the dark warrior, and ducked into the apprentice den.

"Wonderful," Darkstripe murmured. "The entire Clan must be talking about me."

"That's right." Darkstripe turned to see Mousefur padding towards him, yellow eyes ringing with anger. "And you deserve it, you traitorous cat." Darkstripe bared his teeth at her, but then calmed himself. _Remember the plan._ "Tigerstar would like to see you now." The brown warrior whisked away, holding her tail high in pride.

Darkstripe's eyes flashed after her, but he steadied himself as he walked to the ThunderClan leader's den under the Highrock. He stood at the lichen, took a deep breath, and pushed his head through the plants. Tigerstar was sitting up, eyes closed, still as stone. "You wanted to see me?" he meowed innocently to his former mentor.

"Shut up, Darkstripe," Tigerstar snapped, making Darkstripe flinch as he padded into the dimly-lit den. The shadows cooled him after the day of trudging through the sun-beat WindClan moors. "And sit down." Darkstripe fell on his haunches. "You attacked Mousefur today, endangering herself and yourself as a battle was going on."

Darkstripe nodded, and dipped his head. "Yes, I know, and I apologize to you, Tigerstar."

"Not only to me," the dark leader hissed. He waved his tail, and Mousefur padded through the lichen. "My deputy as well."

Though this pained him to do so, Darkstripe knew this would help the Plan. "Forgive me, Mousefur. I was not feeling as well because of the heat."

Mousefur accepted his apology, and meowed, "Did you get lost, Darkstripe? It shouldn't have taken so long to return to camp."

"Then perhaps you shouldn't have sent me alone in an unknown territory where the heather is higher than a dog!" Darkstripe shook his head, and restarted. "Yes, Mousefur."

"You sent Darkstripe alone?" Tigerstar demanded, and Mousefur lowered her head.

"Yes, Tigerstar."

Darkstripe smiled. _Yes!_ Mousefur would receive a punishment, just as he thought his old friend would do. He gasped when Tigerstar meowed, "I would prefer you didn't do it again, Mousefur." Mousefur dipped her head, and left the den. "As for you, Darkstripe, you will hunt for the elders for the next moon. If you complain once, your name will be Darkpaw faster than you could say 'mouse'." Darkstripe's jaw opened to retort, but Tigerstar's amber gaze was unwavering. "You begin now, Darkstripe. Don't fail me." Darkstripe's blue eyes blazed, and his heart raced.

"Mouse dung to Tigerstar!" Darkstripe cursed under his breath after padding away from the den. "Treating me like an apprentice. Forcing me to do apprentice chores!"

"Darkstripe?" The silvery black-furred tabby turned to see Mousefur coming up to him. "What did Tigerstar say?"

Darkstripe whipped around the glare at the ThunderClan deputy. "And what do you care, Mousefur? Don't you have some apprentices to boss around?"

Mousefur shrank back, but her yellow eyes burned with anger. "Fine, if that's how you want it! I only wanted to know what he said, you impossible fur-ball!" The mouse-colored warrior pelted away and began to share tongues with Swiftfoot. The black-and-white tom smiled at the young she-cat; his amber eyes were glittering with some emotion. What did Longtail's former apprentice want with the ThunderClan deputy? But then the young tom picked up a purr, and Mousefur's shyly ducked away and padded over to Sandstorm, who was laying by Dustpelt, the father of her unborn kits. Darkstripe's fur bristled along his spine. He was supposed to be acting kind with Mousefur, not driving her away! He padded over to the three young cats, nodding to his former apprentice Dustpelt and his ginger mate before looking to Mousefur. In the best purr he could manage, he ventured, "Mousefur. Would you like to go hunting with me?"

Mousefur opened her mouth to respond; Darkstripe thought it would be a yes. But then the she-cat turned to her friends. "I can't Darkstripe, but, er, thank you for asking." She licked one dusty brown paw, and Sandstorm purred at her Clan mate.

"Oh, go on," the ginger queen mewed amusedly. A twinkle was in her pale green eyes as she looked between the two warriors, Darkstripe and Mousefur.

"Honestly, Mousefur," Dustpelt groaned. "You work too hard. Have fun." He fell asleep beside Sandstorm and the pale gold queen nodded farewell before closing her eyes as well.

"So?" Darkstripe began, purring. "Do you want to come, Mousefur?"

"Is it just you and me, or are you bringing Longtail and that big, fat ego of yours along?" Mousefur spat, pinning her ears back. "Why are you taking me hunting, after you attacked me?"

"I am truly sorry, Mousefur, about this morning. But you left me to die out there. I couldn't find water for hours past that heather, let alone the forest. I would have died if it weren't for Runningbrook."

"Who's…Runningbrook?" Mousefur mewed suspiciously.

Darkstripe purred at the memory of the happy-go-lucky WindClan warrior. "A kind cat. She helped me find ThunderClan's territory."

Mousefur's ears pricked forward and tail dropped. "I'm sorry, Darkstripe…I didn't realize that you wouldn't have known the moorlands. Can you forgive me?"

"Oh, that depends, Mousefur," Darkstripe purred happily. "If you go hunt with me, I might forgive you."

The slender brown she-cat rolled her eyes. "Fine. I'll hunt with you, mouse-brain. I wouldn't want little Darkpaw to miss hunting the elders." The comment was gentle teasing, but anything that came out of Mousefur's mouth made Darkstripe's pelt prick. The young warrior pointed her nose to the forest. "Let's go, Darkstripe." The silver warrior dipped his head, and bounded after the deputy into the woods. _You may be deputy now, Mousefur, but that will all change…_

Darkstripe crouched low to the forest floor, light silver belly fur barely skimming the leaves and grasses. The black warrior pressed himself against his bunching hindquarters and then pounced into the air. For a moment, he was flying, but then his claws were sinking into the warm body of a plump vole. The sweet blood splattered on his nose, but he did not give into the temptation of eating the prey there. He was a warrior-apprentice. His duty was to feed the elders first; then he could eat. There was a rustle of leaves, and a brown she-cat burst through the bushes. A squirrel as large as a new apprentice was tight in her jaws.

"Hi, Darkstripe," Mousefur greeted him through a mouthful of squirrel fur. "Good hunting?"

Darkstripe looked back to his seemingly pitiful catch next to Mousefur's. "Not really."

"Oh well," Mousefur purred. "Do you want to share this?" Her tail waved invitingly over to the fresh-kill. The blood-scent was mouthwatering…but he had a job to do. "You may not be a patrol, Mousefur, but I have a task for the elders to perform."

The yellow-eyed she-cat sighed. "Oh, fine then. Eat the vole, and we'll give this to the elders. I caught a sparrow a ways back, so they'll have enough."

_Of course you did because Mousefur's a little over-achiever._ The ThunderClan warrior was being quite friendly. Was he that convincing before? The deputy's gold eyes glittered with some uncertain emotion. "No, Mousefur. Maybe back at camp." He picked up his vole and Mousefur carried her squirrel. When they reached a spot by a blackthorn bush, Mousefur unearthed a fat sparrow. Darkstripe had to carry that too.

At camp, Darkstripe threw the sparrow onto the pile, and then carried his vole and her squirrel to the Clan's oldest warriors and queens. The elders were grateful for the prey, though Smallear's show of gratitude was rather different.

"You couldn't have caught a vole with more meat on its bones?" the old gray cat growled. He nosed Mousefur's squirrel. "This one's okay though. I suppose you're not completely a useless hunter."

"Mousefur caught that," Darkstripe grumbled.

"Then I take those words back!" Smallear hissed. "I wonder why Tigerstar gave you your name at all, Darkstripe, when you clearly don't deserve it." Darkstripe turned to leave, but he overheard the youngest elder, Patchpelt, meow, "No wonder Tigerstar named Mousefur deputy. Darkstripe is no more than an apprentice." The silvery black tom's claws engorged themselves into the earth, and Darkstripe felt so angry, he slashed at the wall of ferns. Nothing broke, but there was a little scratch.

"Trouble?" Darkstripe turned to see none other than Mousefur. She was the last cat, other than Smallear, that he wanted to see.

"I never wanted to have to serve the elders again!" the young warrior snapped.

"I know your pain," Mousefur purred. "I was Mousepaw once you know."

_And that wasn't that long ago, was it, Mousefur?_ "So, you wanted to share prey?" Mousefur began uncertainly, blinking shyly at the older warrior.

"Sure," Darkstripe said in a convincing purr, trying to show his hatred towards the young deputy. "I'll follow you."

"Well," Mousefur began amusingly. "The stars are starting to show, and I was wondering if after we eat, we could take a moon walk out in the forest for a while?"

"Just us? Or my big, fat ego as well?" Darkstripe fake-laughed. "Alright. Like I said, I'll follow you, Mousefur." The brown she-cat led the dark tom to the fresh-kill pile, and they shared a magpie together. Darkstripe began to ask Mousefur about the battle.

"So…how did Deadfoot die?" Darkstripe mewed through a mouthful of feathers and meat.

"Well, Tigerstar pinned him down in the middle of the battle," Mousefur began. "He…was lost in the lust of battle. Deadfoot clawed him across the nose…so Tigerstar snapped his neck."

"And then Tigerstar lost his first life?" Mousefur nodded. "How?"

"Tallstar did that," Mousefur meowed. "He hit Tigerstar away from his dead deputy-but it was already too late, because Deadfoot was dead. But the blow was on his head, and that…killed Tigerstar, for one life. That's all what's important."

"And ThunderClan lost?"

"Does it look like we did?" She pointed her tail at the little kits playing in the dying light. Darkstripe was about to say no when Mousefur purred. "Trick question. Yes, we were ordered to leave the camp, so I assume we lost. In a few nights it will be the Gathering, and we'll find out what WindClan really thinks then. They haven't invaded our territory, so it's kind of a win."

Darkstripe smiled without faking it. That was actually funny to him. When they had finished the last of the prey, they stared into each other's eyes for what may have been a heartbeat or a couple moons. There was a feeling in his black heart he hadn't felt before…but he knew it wasn't real. After all, this game for Mousefur's heart was only to ensure his deputyship when Tigerstar died. And the way the reckless tabby leader was going, it wouldn't be more than a few seasons. Mousefur looked away, breathlessly, and the two cats ran into the woods, leaving cares behind them.


	6. Chapter Four

Darkstripe streamed after Mousefur into the starlit woods. The moonlight on her fur turned her pelt silvery white, and it was beautiful to him. He growled playfully, and rumbled, "You better run, Mousefur. You don't want the mouse to be caught by the hunter, do you?"

Mousefur let a _mrrow_ from her. "Oh, how defenseless am I! Try and catch me, Darkstripe. I'm faster than you ever were." The small brown she-cat sped in burst of speed and her tail stretched behind her. But Darkstripe refused to be outdone, and in a few long strides, he caught up to Mousefur, and barreled into her. The small brown cat fell to the ground, breathing heavily. Her yellow eyes were closed and suddenly, she fell still.

"Mousefur?" Darkstripe prodded the deputy's side, and then loosened his grip on his 'prey'. "Mouse…?" He never finished that, for the little she-cat sprang to her paws, knocking Darkstripe to the ground."

"Oh, you fell for that," she boasted happily. "So easy. Like catching a little tabby kit."

"I'll show you little! You're no more than a mouse yourself!" Darkstripe heaved Mousefur's paws off of him and stared at her beautiful eyes. Eyes like the yellow moon, and fur so soft….woah. This wasn't real! This was to become deputy!

"I bet you I can climb that tree faster than you," Mousefur taunted. Darkstripe's brilliant blue eyes lit with amusement, and he pushed her with his black paws.

"You couldn't climb a pebble, Mouse!" Darkstripe hissed playfully. He scrambled past her and leapt as high as he could into the tree. His claws dug into the soft bark and he found a dark shape shooting past him. Mousefur was a few fox-lengths above his head and moving swiftly. "Not bad," he meowed to himself. "But not good enough!" The warriors raced each other through the trees before Mousefur raised herself onto the top branch victoriously. She glanced down at Darkstripe before he threw himself onto the branch beside her.

"Hello handsome," she teased. "My muzzle just turned gray in the time you took to get up here."

"Oh," the black tabby mewed, pretending to be sad. "That means you're too old for me now."

"Stupid fur-ball," Mousefur mewed in a softer voice than he'd ever heard before. Darkstripe looked up into her eyes, and the yellow seas nearly snatched his consciousness. "I never…" She paused, but then restarted herself. "I never thought this night would ever happened. There was a time I thought you were kind, when you were Darkpaw. And then…when you were a warrior under Bluestar, you were…terrible. And now…" She paused and she looked up to the stars. "You're the cat I always wanted you to be. And, I'm afraid. Now that I'm deputy, I could never have kits but…" She sighed and pressed her nose into my silvery black fur. "I think you'd be a great father."

"You would be a wonderful mother," Darkstripe whispered. He didn't know who he was now. Mousefur, the cat he hated for moons, was against him, leaning on him. And they were sitting in a tall oak under the light of StarClan. And Mousefur loved him. They wanted kits. "Mousefur…I love you."

"I love you too, Darkstripe," Mousefur purred. She paused for a moment again, and stared at her paws. "I never thought I'd say that," she breathed.

"Is it true?" Darkstripe's blue eyes gleamed and for the first time that night, he thought of the Plan. Everything tonight was according to the Plan. Mousefur didn't respond right away, and Darkstripe repeated, "Mousefur. Is it true?"

"Yes," she meowed finally. "For so long, Darkstripe, I've searched my heart for these feelings I've felt over the last couple moons. When Swiftfoot was Swiftpaw, he was in love with me then, and I thought nothing of it. And then he became a warrior…I thought my feelings were for them." Her yellow eyes gazed into his azure ones. "But I was confused. I know who I am now, and who I should be forever with. It's you, Darkstripe."

Darkstripe's heart fluttered like a sparrow taking flight, and his fur felt hot. What was happening to him? He'd never felt like this before. Her soft mouse-pelt fur was so comfortable against his sleek coat, and the young she-cat felt so right leaning against him. Darkstripe leaned down and placed his nose on her head and his eyes closed. He began to purr and the she-cat joined in with him. He had forgotten they were in a tree high above the ground, and when he loosened his grip on the branch, he swayed dangerously off. Mousefur sprang back, catching his scruff with her teeth before he fell. But the stocky black warrior was much larger than the small she-cat…how could she hold him up? Darkstripe's silver paws flailed uselessly in the air and he squeaked, "Mousefur, help!"

"I'm trying!" she wailed through a mouthful of his dark fur. She slowly began to back up to the trunk of the oak, holding Darkstripe with all of her might. The black warrior prayed, _Don't let me fall, don't let me fall!_ His vision blurred for a moment when he dared himself to look down at the ground, and he almost passed out. Then he snapped awake. _What, the brave warrior Darkstripe, afraid of falling like a dumb kittypet? Who are you, Fireheart?_ That gave him strength, and the tabby tom heaved himself back on the branch, feeling Mousefur's teeth release him. He began to breathe again, gasping for air as his heart beat quickly.

"Darkstripe, are you alright?" Mousefur carefully hopped along the branches, worried that she might fall herself, but she nosed the shaking tom worriedly.

"Yes, Mouse, I'm fine," Darkstripe sighed. He brought himself to his paws, and meowed, "Maybe we should go back down. Maybe sleep under the stars?"

Mousefur nodded gratefully. "Yes, that would be a good idea." The moon rose as the two cats climbed down the old oak back to the ground. When Darkstripe leaped off the last branch and felt grass under his lighter paws, he purred happily. _Land!_ And not the way he would have felt it had Mousefur not caught him either. He fell on his back, and rolled gleefully on the plant life. He only stopped himself when Mousefur coughed. The black warrior brought himself to his paws, and licked his chest fur embarrassedly. "Busy?" the brown she-cat purred.

"Oh, s-shut up," Darkstripe stuttered. He swiped a paw over his whiskers before padding to the ThunderClan deputy. "I'm happy to be out of that wretched tree, that's all!"

Mousefur licked his quivering ears, making Darkstripe's heart jump. "Take it easy; it was only a joke."

Darkstripe dipped his head. "Right, sorry."

Mousefur purred again, and batted his flicking tail once. "Silly fur-ball," she teased softly. The young warrior opened her jaws wide in a yawn, and sank lower on her haunches. Darkstripe looked over the she-cat carefully. The ThunderClan deputy had been working all day-from the WindClan invasion this morning to patrolling the borders at sunhigh, to hunting with him for the elders. But the attack on WindClan, one he didn't partake in, seemed so far away. His quest for deputyship too. All he needed now was Mousefur.

"You're tired," Darkstripe meowed bluntly. "You should rest. Here." The ThunderClan warrior dragged moss from the tree's roots and pulled them into a little alcove made by those roots. "We can sleep here tonight."

Mousefur rumbled happily, and when she padded past Darkstripe, her tail lightly brushed his nose. "Okay." Darkstripe sneezed from the touch of her tail-tip, and the deputy broke into soft laughter. "Fur-head." Darkstripe padded after the young warrior, flopping down beside her in the shadows of the roots. Thankfully, the shade was cooler than outside, even at night, but the days during Greenleaf were getting hotter. Mousefur and Darkstripe did not fall asleep for a while. The brown she-cat spoke to him gently in the darkness.

"Darkstripe, remember when we were apprentices?" Mousefur purred. "And how Runningpaw would always order you around?"

"Not my fault he was a pain in the tail," Darkstripe grumbled, but all the time was purring. "Willowpelt was always catching me for doing something. Like that one time she caught me putting poppy seeds in my father Tawnyspot's fresh-kill so he would fall asleep and leave me alone?"

"You were only Darkkit then," Mousefur mewed happily. "And I was Mousekit. Wow…that was moons ago."

"Yes, it was." Darkstripe's muzzle sank into his paws, and a wave of grief washed over him. "Do you…do you remember when Icepaw died?" Memories of the beautiful white she-cat threatened to overwhelm him.

"You won't ever forgive ShadowClan for what they did to your sister," Mousefur meowed gently and sorrowfully.

"They murdered my only sister!" Darkstripe hissed, and Mousefur pressed her pelt against his to calm him. "She hardly crossed the border; it was leaf-bare, she was only trying to feed the Clan. A whisker on ShadowClan land, and then Brokentail cut her throat." His breathing quieted, and he gazed into Mousefur's sympathetic eyes. "That's why I never wanted Bluestar to take him in. After what he did to Icepaw, I had rather throw him into a fox den and listen to his cries for mercy."

"Darkstripe…" Mousefur trailed. "No cat would blame you after what happened to your sister, but do you really need to be so harsh all the time? I mean, you were so kind tonight, and that's how you were before Icepaw's death. Brokentail is dead; Yellowfang destroyed him. Everything is as it should be." She pushed her nose into his neck fur. "It's okay, Darkstripe. You can't live in hatred forever."

"I was fine before."

"And how many cats avoided you because of that?" Darkstripe opened his jaws to retort, but he could think of nothing. "Everyone," Mousefur snapped. "Including me. I know you're different, Darkstripe, you have to be."

"Tigerstar was my mentor," Darkstripe muttered. "I was taught to be fierce, the warrior code being everything, and to make any cat who refused to follow it suffer."

"But you don't have to be like that." Darkstripe's blue eyes opened to see Mousefur's yellow ones. "Tigerstar's changed…why can't you?"

Darkstripe knew she was right; he was in love with her, anything she said now was right to him. "Tigerstar's definitely…changed." Mousefur nodded in agreement.

"But can't it be for the better?"


	7. Chapter Five

Darkstripe walked alone in a dark, dark forest.

He didn't know how he got there. It must have been moons since he slept beside Mousefur in that den, for there was snow on the forest floor. The air was cold, so cold, and the moon was hidden by some endless black in the sky. Somehow, this forest was still lit, by glowing fungus on the dead trees and by pairs of eyes belonging to cats refusing to show themselves. Darkstripe shivered. Was he dead? And if so, where was StarClan? In the waking world, he portrayed himself as a brave and fearless warrior; asleep though, he had no need to hide what he had felt inside for so long. Confused. Angry. Afraid.

"Hello?" Darkstripe called in a higher-pitched, half-wail. He didn't like to be alone here; if Mousefur was only beside him to walk these paths, or his best friend, Longtail. He would've liked Tigerstar once, but the dark-furred tabby had changed too much for Darkstripe's liking. "Is anyone there?" The thousands of eyes stared back, but no creature uttered a word. Darkstripe's paws quickened their pace, and his blue eyes glowed with fear. _Where am I?_

Darkstripe padded farther into the dim forest, and he tried to search for the light of StarClan through the bare branches over his head. No stars, no warrior ancestors to protect him. "StarClan save me!" he nearly yowled, but instead whined.

"Oh, not here they won't." Darkstripe spun around to see a spiky-furred striped tom padding up to him. His amber eyes gleamed unnaturally bright; a shudder passed through the silver-black ThunderClan warrior's body. "Hello, young warrior. We have waited for you for a long time."

"Have you?" Darkstripe demanded, feeling unafraid to this dead warrior. There were no stars in his fur, but he knew from the ghostly frame. The unkempt tom had a faint ThunderClan scent on him too, as if he hadn't been a part of Darkstripe's Clan for seasons, but was once. Darkstripe peered closer and recognition stirred in his mind. A name flew to identify this tom in Darkstripe's head, but he remained silent too see what this spirit warrior would do.

"Yes, young Darkstripe," the patchy warrior rasped. "I've watched you for moons now, brave warrior, and I've decided it was time for us to meet once again. Do you remember me?"

"I was very young at the time," Darkstripe recalled. "A kit or a new apprentice at least, but I vaguely remember your face. You're Thistleclaw, Bluestar's old enemy."

"Bluefur!" Thistleclaw spat. "Don't bring that power-stealing kittypet-lover into this!" His bristly fur was fluffing out even more, and Whitestorm's father unsheathed his claws and dug them into the mossy leaf-mold. He calmed himself when he meowed, "That is not why I entered your dreams, young warrior. When I died that leaf-bare, I died knowing I would have revenge on that gray-furred she-cat. And so I did."

"What are you talking about, Thistleclaw?" Darkstripe hissed warily. "A rouge murdered Bluestar."

"A rogue, no," Thistleclaw mused darkly, raising his head sharply. "But he will be if any other cat finds out. But I can trust you, can't I, Darkstripe? You and I are friends now, right?"

"Just because I've spoken with you for a few moments?"

"You've known me before that, Darkstripe," Thistleclaw purred. "Remember I used to bring you the biggest piece of fresh-kill when you were in the nursery? I knew you'd be special one day, good enough to lead your Clan. And look at you now. I was right."

"Not while Tigerstar's leader," Darkstripe growled. "And not while Mousefur's deputy."

"Then kill Mousefur!" Darkstripe flinched at Thistleclaw's grating voice. His coppery eyes smoldered with bright, bloody hunger. "Kill her, and then take Tigerstar's lives away as well! You will lead your Clan one day, Darkstripe."

"I don't know…"

"How do you like the name Darkstar?" Thistleclaw growled ambitiously. "How would you like to have ThunderClan answer to you and follow your orders? How would you like if they never questioned you and looked up to you? And what about powerful sons of your own? Wouldn't you want the Clan filled with purebred, Clanborn ThunderClan warriors, stronger than all the Clans, fit to take over the forest?"

Darkstripe's blue eyes lit and glittered with the prospect. Darkstar, looking down at his Clan from the Highrock, naming his kits their warrior names. ThunderClan overtaking ShadowClan, ravaging their apprentices like they did to Icepaw…

"Don't forget your revenge on ShadowClan, after what they did to your _sister_!" Thistleclaw yowled. "You can overpower them, force them to do what _you_ want, and tear apart any cat that stands in your way!"

Darkstripe didn't think before he spoke. "I'll do it! I shall do whatever you say, Thistleclaw!"

"Good," he rasped. "Good. Listen to me, Darkstripe, and the Clans will forever follow Darkstar, ruler of warriors."

Darkstripe awoke, blinking blue. He gazed down at his love, Mousefur, sleeping contently in the roots of the oak. He purred softly, and snuggled closer to her. Then Thistleclaw's voice rasped in his ear, _Your time will come, Darkstripe. But you must earn it with the ambition for power._

Darkstripe gasped, causing Mousefur to shift and murmur in her sleep. The Plan, the deal with Thistleclaw…

_Oh StarClan, what have I done?_


	8. Chapter Six

Greenleaf moved onward. The sun-beat forest simmered down into cooler days, and an air of leaf-fall was nearly visible, a hazy gray. Green leaves burst into beautiful colors of red, orange, and gold. Prey was still somewhat plentiful, and no ThunderClan fell to the deadly clutch of greencough, no cat starved, and litters were born to mothers every moon. Life was good for the warriors of the Clans. But the scarlet light of leaf-fall faded away…and with it came the grayness of leaf-bare. The trees hung leafless, and the creatures hid beneath the ground. It was the first moon of leaf-bare when the first snows fell…

A young white apprentice hissed at the fluffy white snowflakes falling gently to the ground. His blue eyes flashed wonderously. "Yuck! What is that, clouds?"

His mentor, a young gold-brown tabby tom meowed, "That's snow, young apprentice. What you were named after, Snowpaw."

"_That's_ snow?" Snowpaw growled. "That's impossible! I'd never be named after something so _vulgar!_"

The silver tabby warrior Darkstripe hissed inwardly. _Stupid apprentice! Who does he think he is?_ He turned his neon azure eyes on the young white tom. Snowpaw picked up a lot of complaints from his elder queen mother Speckletail. Snowpaw was still muttering about 'squishy fluffs', and another young apprentice, Bramblepaw, who'd just become one a few sunrises before. The little dark tabby tucked his paws under his striped tail and tilted his head, owl-like amber eyes wide. His sister, Tawnypaw, sat next to her brother.

"Well, Snowpaw, you'll get over it," Brackenfur mewed carefully. Darkstripe sneezed. A warrior like this with an apprentice like Snowpaw? It was like pairing a RiverClan cat with a WindClan apprentice.

"Just like he got over the squirrel that escaped him a moon before and the ShadowClan apprentice that outdid him at the Gathering," Darkstripe muttered sarcastically. Tawnypaw turned her head towards her mentor with confusion, but Darkstripe ignored the young tortoiseshell.

"Why don't we try the edge of Fourtrees for prey?" Brackenfur suggested. "There are seeds there; prey will go there."

"Mouse-brain!" the last warrior of the hunting party, Ashfall, hissed. "All the seeds have gone since leaf-fall and Fourtrees is neutral ground!"

"Oh, right." Brackenfur shied away and turned to his sharp-tongued apprentice. "Snowpaw, where do you think we should go?"

"Home," the white tom snapped. "It's cold, we have all the prey we're going to get, and I'm starving!"

"We must feed the Clan first, Snowpaw, remember that!" Brackenfur hissed back.

Snowpaw rolled his blue eyes while Ashfall meowed uncomfortably, "You know, I think your apprentice, however disrespectful, is right. I'm freezing my paws off, and it's only going to get worse. He uncovered his scrawny catch, biggest out of the fresh-kill, and caressed it in his jaws. He nodded his head in the direction of the camp. The other cats followed behind the youngest warrior, even though Brackenfur was supposed to lead the patrol.

Darkstripe held a small partridge but he wasn't planning on feeding any other cats except one. His mind was caught on the image of one warrior out of all the Clan, the most beautiful out of the whole forest. His paws itched to carry him back to the camp where he could see his love. But no other cat knew. None could. Their love was forbidden.

Tigerstar had banned allowing any cat in power having kits. That included medicine cats, of course, but the deputy as well. But it was too late for the deputy.

When the small patrol padded over the ravine, Darkstripe's heart raced, and his eyes glowed. _Mousefur!_ He could see a light brown shape moving through the bare branches. His heart increased its rate, and he was sure his Clan mates could hear it. His tail waved twitched with excitement, and Bramblepaw, who was surprisingly serious and observing for a cat his age, glanced sideways at the older tom. "Darkstripe? Is something the matter?"

Darkstripe's fur burned and he shot a blazing glare at the young cat. "Why would there be anything wrong? Go be nosy to some other cat."

Bramblepaw crouched down, and his body trembled. "Al-alright, Darkstripe. S-sorry." Darkstripe's apprentice Tawnypaw narrowed her green eyes at her mentor, but said nothing and stood by her brother.

Brackenfur and Ashfall gave the black tabby puzzled looks, but remained silent. "Well?" Darkstripe snarled. "Are we going to feed the Clan or not?"

The other cats of the patrol nodded and loped into the snow-laden clearing. A few cats who were sitting in the snowstorm came to greet the hunters, and Longtail ran up to speak with Darkstripe. "Hi, Darkstripe! Some prey you brought back, huh?"

"Was that supposed to be sarcastic?"

"No!" Longtail mewed. "No, I mean, I couldn't find so much as a mouse, and your patrol actually found food!" The cream-colored tabby went on to babble about snow and RiverClan or something, but Darkstripe wasn't listening. His eyes searched around the camp until he saw the glint of yellow eyes.

"Darkstripe, are you listening?" Longtail probed.

Without even looking at the striped warrior, Darkstripe meowed, "Yes, Longtail, that's very interesting…excuse me." He slid past Longtail and the other warriors, even if they tried to speak to him. Darkstripe padded casually until the other warriors lost interest in him, and then he took off into a bound. He nearly collided with the owner of the yellow eyes in the shadow of the alcove behind the nursery. But Darkstripe didn't care; he liked falling against the soft, brown fur and he liked the sound of her purr. The two cats embraced each other for a few moments until the queen moved away. "Darkstripe…" she rumbled sweetly.

"Hello, Mousefur," Darkstripe mewled gleefully. The cold wintry air suddenly felt warmer because of his love standing before him. He dropped his catch at her paws. "It's been too long since I've seen you."

"It's only been less than a day!" Mousefur murmured happily.

"But I've missed you for every moment of it!" Darkstripe complained. He turned his head to the talking warriors outside of their darkness. He lowered his voice. "We can't keep doing this, Mousefur. Someone will know. We're still in the camp, for StarClan's sake!"

"I do hate all of those gossiping eyes," Mousefur admitted. But her mew suddenly became incredibly soft and excited. "But I can't take us out in that snow to see you."

"Us?" Darkstripe echoed.

"Oh, Darkstripe, I have incredible news, wonderful news!" Mousefur purred. "I felt them this morning. I met Cinderpaw in secret to make sure."

"Sure…of what?"

She let out a short _mrrow_. "Darkstripe. I'm carrying kits. Your kits."

Darkstripe's eyes opened wide for a moment, and his heart stopped. Mousefur's face fell, and she whispered, "You don't seem happy about this."

"No, no!" Darkstripe meowed a little too loudly. Mousefur tensed, and Darkstripe moved her deeper into shadows. "No, Mousefur, I'm so happy. I'm so _proud_ of you. I couldn't be happier in my entire life." Mousefur burst into ripples of purrs and she rubbed her muzzle against him. Her huge yellow eyes were shimmering with joyous tears.

"Have you told your mother?" Darkstripe asked his mate, and as soon as he saw her reaction, he knew that was a bad question.

"Who, One-eye?" Mousefur shrieked quietly.

"No, your other mother."

"I can't tell her! You know elders! Once one knows something, the entire Clan knows!" Mousefur was trembling. "Tigerstar would throw the kits and I out into the forest."

Darkstripe knew that was true sadly. "I'd follow you away from ThunderClan, Mousefur. You know that."

"I can't ask that of you, love," Mousefur murmured sorrowfully. There was a movement in her belly…or had he imagined that? "Not when you're such a good warrior. The Clan needs you, especially through leaf-bare. And you'd make a better deputy than I am now."

"I would follow you anywhere," Darkstripe promised, turning his head against hers. Their tails twined and both of their hearts sang with love. "Forget being a good warrior. I'd rather be a good father."

"Thank you, love." Mousefur's eyes widened, and Darkstripe turned to see a dark shape loom out of his den.

"Where's Darkstripe?" the huge cat roared.

"Tigerstar," Darkstripe hissed, and both cats fur fluffed up. Mousefur looked into the tom's eyes and licked him across his muzzle. "I'm sorry, my love, I must see what he wants."

"Good luck, Darkpaw," she murmured. She nuzzled his head. If any other cat called him 'Darkpaw', he'd slice their ears off, but that was Mousefur's name for him. It made him feel even younger, when the two cats became close.

Darkstripe left his mate in the gloom, and padded up to his blazing-eyed leader. He stopped, wrapped his tail lightly over his paws, and dipped his head. "You need me, Tigerstar?"

"Don't speak so casually!" Tigerstar hissed. He sighed, and led the black tabby into the shade of the Highrock. "I was your mentor once, Darkstripe, and I thought I taught you the warrior code better than this!"

Darkstripe froze. His heart raced, not out of love, but out of fear. Had Tigerstar discovered his secret love with Mousefur? "Tigerstar, I…"

"You are _supposed_ to feed the Clan before any other cat, including yourself!" Tigerstar half-yowled. Some warriors turned their heads to look. _Oh great._ "I know you took prey into your little hiding spot and returned with it gone! How dare you eat while Sandstorm hasn't been fed! Her kits will starve without milk, and if she doesn't eat…"

"I understand, Tigerstar," Darkstripe interrupted. "I'll get on it right away." He turned to the fresh-kill pile, but before he went, Tigerstar called him back. "Where in hell do you think you're going?"

Darkstripe sighed inwardly, and walked back. "Yes, Tigerstar?"

The dark leader growled, "If you can't handle a simple task the first time I give it, then I shall punish you again!

"You will hunt for the queens now for a half-moon."

Darkstripe's eyes blazed, but he hissed, "Yes, Tigerstar." The acid-hearted tom watched the silvery black tom bound to the fresh-kill pile. He picked up the second-biggest prey to give to the young queen Sandstorm. The biggest piece he gave to Mousefur and her unborn kits.

He carried a little vole to the ginger queen and ducked into the nursery. Sandstorm awoke, pale green eyes flashing, when she saw the looming warrior. "Darkstripe, hello. Is that prey?" Her eyes were glitteringly hopeful.

"Yes, Sandstorm," Darkstripe mumbled through fur. He placed the prey at the queen's paws. "How are Dustpelt's kits?"

"Fine," Sandstorm meowed politely, tilting her head. "Sunkit walked out of the nursery for the first time today, but Amberkit refuses to go." Darkstripe remembered she had wanted to name the tortoiseshell tom after her father and the father, Dustpelt's, fallen mentor, but the memory of the tom hurt them both. So Amberkit was close enough."

"Well, try coaxing him by leaving him alone in the den while you show Sunkit the snow…"

"Are you crazy?" Sandstorm spat. "Sunkit will suffer from snow blindness! Do you want that for my kits?"

"For StarClan's sake…" The silver-and-black warrior left Sandstorm to exit the den but old Speckletail called him over.

"Do you expect anything else from her, Darkstripe?" the old tabby queen rasped. "It's a queen's first litter. Let her find her own way." He didn't expect what the old cat's next words would be. "So, Darkstripe. Have you thought about settling down?"

Darkstripe bit his lip. His ears flattened with embarrassment. "Excuse me, Speckletail, Tigerstar needed to see me after this." He padded swiftly away from the queens and kits, fur prickling with fear, and Speckletail sensed it too. She narrowed her amber eyes and watched the young tom leave.

As soon as he rushed out, he nearly walked into a dark gray she-cat. Her blue eyes were wide as she dropped a mouthful of dock on the snow. "Darkstripe!" Cinderpaw hissed. "Thanks a lot. Yellowfang will have my tail if I don't deliver these to her!"

"I'll help you." Darkstripe grasped the leaves in his jaws and passed them to the young medicine cat apprentice. Cinderpaw took the herbs and meowed, "Thanks?" through the bitter leaves. Her eyes darted back confusedly at the kind-acting warrior. Darkstripe shook his head out and padded to a pool of water to see his reflection. His eyes were shining unnaturally, uncharacteristically. He looked like Brightstream or Longtail for StarClan's sake! Or Darkpaw. Not Darkstripe. Darkstripe passed a young warrior Cloudheart, Fireheart's former apprentice. He was the orange tom's former apprentice before he even became a warrior. After the incident before the battle with WindClan last Greenleaf, Tigerstar had taken Cloudheart's apprenticeship to Runningwind to mentor. Darkstripe had found it ridiculous at the time. He despised Fireheart more than Tigerstar, but he hardly found it fair for a leader to take an apprentice from his mentor when his mentor hadn't done anything proven wrong. Darkstripe had made up the entire thing. A cold feeling washed over him. Did he feel _guilt_ for Fireheart?

The flame-colored warrior was resting under a snowy tree. It was mostly dry, and the warrior's fur was speckled with little flakes. He must have been there before the snowstorm had started. Darkstripe froze. The orange cat's breathing was hard to see-was he dead? The silver-black tabby loped through the snow towards his Clan mate and when his shadow even covered Fireheart, the tom did not move.

"Fireheart?" Darkstripe meowed. "Fireheart, wake up." He prodded the ginger warrior with claws sheathed, but his paws were jarring enough to wake the tom. When fear was creeping over Darkstripe, a pair of emerald green eyes opened, blinking away cold ice from his lids. Fireheart picked himself up to his paws and shook out his fur of the snowy grains. His arched his back in a strained stretch, but didn't even notice Darkstripe. It wasn't until the sad-looking tom turned to the warrior's den that he did see the blue-eyed tom.

"Darkstripe?" Fireheart meowed suspiciously, but his voice was dull. "What…did you wake me up?"

"Yes," the tom replied, nodding once. "I saw that you were covered in snow and if you stayed there any longer, you might have frozen to death."

Fireheart was shivering, but his green eyes burned with fire. "Why help me? I hate you, you hate me. Why not let me freeze?" He turned his head so Darkstripe wouldn't see his wretched expression, but the silver tom knew it was there by the way the tom shook with sorrow, not only the cold. "That way would be easier for me?"

"What, to die?" Fireheart narrowed his eyes untrusting, but Darkstripe shook his head. "Why would you need to die? You've done nothing wrong."

"Why was Cloudheart taken from me then? He's as much as a kittypet as I am, but the Clan has seemed to forgotten that. They treat him like a Clanborn warrior. Not me."

"You have respect for the warrior code." Fireheart's green eyes melted the anger away, and he seemed to be listening to Darkstripe's praise. He hadn't been praised in a long time, Darkstripe realized. "That's more than I can say for Cloudheart, no matter how Runningwind trained him."

Fireheart's face formed a little smile, but then it faded. " What about Tigerstar?"

"What?"

"You're his friend," Fireheart explained, and Darkstripe's heart beat harshly when the tom said that. "What would he think if he saw you talking to me?"

"Mouse dung to that," Darkstripe meowed, rolling his vivid blue eyes. "That cat is no friend of mine, nor do I care if he does. You're a good warrior; he is not."

"Is that because of Mousefur?"


	9. Chapter Seven

Darkstripe's good feelings faded to fear. His heart raced, and he knew his eyes betrayed his fright. "W-what are you meowing about, Fireheart?"

"You don't think I haven't noticed?" Fireheart rumbled, green eyes flashing mischievously. "That I haven't seen you become excited whenever you come back to camp and that you always listen to whatever Mousefur has to say when she's assigning patrols? Do you honestly think that I haven't noticed her grow?" Darkstripe's claws unsheathed, and his head spun. Fireheart knew. Soon, so would every cat. And when the Clan knew, so would Tigerstar, and Mousefur's and Darkstripe's fears would become a reality.

Darkstripe's fear lessened when Fireheart meowed softly, "I'm not planning on telling anyone, Darkstripe."

"I thought you hated me. Why not ruin my life, after I tried so hard before to ruin yours?" Darkstripe spat, but his voice was not threateningly, for he was so choked in relief.

"Because you're the only cat who's spoken more than telling me to check the ShadowClan border to me in the last seasons," Fireheart whispered. "And you're the only other cat that wishes nothing but hate against Tigerstar."

A purr formed in the silver warrior's throat. He had not purred to anyone except Mousefur for moons. "Thank you. Why do you hate Tigerstar like I do?"

"Why do you?"

"Because he treats me like I never did anything to help him."

"Help him? How?" Darkstripe's eyes narrowed. Fireheart was a little too curious about that.

"Always supported him," Darkstripe hissed. "Always followed him. I never complained when he told me to do something because I knew he would someday return the favor."

"That he would make you deputy when he became leader," Fireheart understood, nodding his head. "But he didn't. Nor does he plan to, I think. Not with Mousefur, and the way he treats you. I think he'll sooner choose Longtail."

"Have you ever wanted to be deputy?" Darkstripe spat.

"Once," Fireheart admitted. "When Bluestar was leader. I wanted to become deputy, so I could drive Tigerstar out of the Clan and the forest forever." His voice was suddenly as sharp as Darkstripe's. "And you too Darkstripe, then I did want that. And that morning before the battle with WindClan. You lied to the Clan. And that lie drove everyone away from me!"

Darkstripe crouched down. Guilt washed over him again. He knew what he'd done. He had done it gladly too, before he fell into love. Before his heart wasn't clawed to shreds every day. "I'm sorry. I was different then. I was Tigerstar's follower, I was…"

"Not in love?"

Darkstripe's eyes flashed. "Do you want every cat to hear?"

Fireheart purred again, green eyes gleeful. "Sorry, but I find it adorable. The heartless Darkstripe in love? How did that ever happen?"

Darkstripe's fur fluffed out in embarrassment. He turned the subject around. "You're still in love with Sandstorm," he accused.

Fireheart fell silent, and his face was torn once more. His ears and tail drooped, and he looked dull again. Darkstripe wished he'd never said that. Wasn't the former kittypet suffering enough? "I'm sorry, Fireheart, I didn't mean…"

"I know," the tom grumbled, but his eyes were pure sorrow. "I thought she loved me. But now she has Dustpelt's kits…what about _me?_"

Darkstripe felt so sorry for the young warrior, he put his tail tip on the tom's shoulder. He knew Mousefur loved him back. He couldn't imagine what this young cat felt when he saw his love mothering some other cat's son and daughter. But a burst of pride flowered in him. Soon, Mousefur would be having _his_ son and daughter. Or daughters and or sons.

Fireheart narrowed his eyes. "Darkstripe. You don't trust Tigerstar?"

Darkstripe didn't answer right away. Tigerstar called it treason to say such things about him, the hidden-tyrannical leader of ThunderClan. He would end up like Fireheart if other cats besides Mousefur knew his true feelings. But he felt that he could confide in his former enemy. Here was another loner within the Clan who hated Tigerstar as much as he did. "No, I don't," he hissed. "However lucky he was to become leader since Bluestar was killed by a rogue."

"I know she wasn't."

Darkstripe turned his head. He had heard Fireheart openly challenge Tigerstar to admit murder, but Darkstripe hadn't taken any care of that before, like the other Clan cats. Everyone knew he was wrong, that he was only saying those things because he had hate against the dark leader. But now, now that he trusted Fireheart, he was tending to listen a bit more. Now that he knew the cat was not a liar at heart.

"Who did it then?" Darkstripe meowed.

"You know the truth, Darkstripe," Fireheart meowed solemnly. "You know Tigerstar as well as I do, even more. He was your mentor, your friend. You may have been blind to his faults before, or you may have seen it as his glorious traits. But you know you were wrong. Tigerstar murdered Bluestar."

Darkstripe wanted to deny it. A murderer alive in ThunderClan, leader of the Clan? Having the ability to turn warriors against however hated him? Having control over every aspect of ThunderClan life. Well, not every aspect…he never once caught he and Mousefur together, after he made the law banning any power-holding cat to fall in love.

But he knew the truth. He knew it with every hair on his pelt Fireheart was right all along. "I know. I know." He gazed into his friend's green eyes. "We have to do something."

"I've been trying all this time," Fireheart growled, but his hate was not at Darkstripe anymore. "I've pleaded with Bluestar in my dreams to tell me what she knew. But she…she won't say anything. Out of loyalty to her old deputy, Tigerclaw. She won't turn against him, not even now, not even in death in StarClan."

"There is another way." Darkstripe had an idea spark in his head, and right before he could tell Fireheart, a dark shadow fell upon the two cats. He turned to see his adversary, Tigerstar, with Longtail and Dustpelt standing behind him. All three cats' amber eyes were gleaming.

"So, this is how you obey orders, Darkstripe?" Tigerstar hissed. "Talking with that loner?" Fireheart's green eyes blazed with more fury than they had in moons, and Dustpelt actually flinched.

"I fed the queens," Darkstripe spat back, tail bristling. "I was only talking to Fireheart; you act like I was sharing prey with a ShadowClan warrior."

"When you pull your own weight, you may rest and speak to whoever you want to." Darkstripe normally would have listened to Tigerstar and strived to please the leader of ThunderClan. But not a murderer. Not a killer. He raised his chin, his neon blue eyes flaming, and his fur making him appear twice his size. His tail was thick as a squirrel's. "

"When _I _pull my own weight?" Darkstripe screeched, and other warriors turned to stare at the confrontation. "I've done everything you've ever said, Tigerstar! I've never betrayed you once before, I've never betrayed ThunderClan, and I've only betrayed myself. I haven't shown myself any loyalty. I've only done what every other cat has said."

"What has come over you, Darkstripe?" Longtail gasped. "This isn't like you!"

"Pride," Darkstripe spat. "Pride for who I am, and pride for ThunderClan as it should be. _You_ shouldn't have _ever_ become leader, Tigerstar!"

"Treachery," Tigerstar grumbled. "Watch what you say, Darkstripe. I am not just any warrior you can speak how you want to. I am the leader of ThunderClan."

"Through the eyes of the innocent, yes."

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" Tigerstar shrieked, and his long claws slid out. Darkstripe gasped inwardly. Tigerstar wouldn't attack him, not in front of the whole Clan, would he?

"You're nothing but a cold-hearted liar, Tigerstar." Darkstripe said those words without any spite, without any anger. Only fire for what he knew to be true. Fireheart dipped his head behind him. He hadn't ever spoken up to Tigerstar before, and for his hope to come from once Tigerstar's closest ally, it gave him fire as well.

Tigerstar's claws dug further into the ground. Darkstripe kept his head level, not losing one bit of dignity when Tigerstar expelled him from ThunderClan. But the dark tabby tom did not banish him. He only waved his tail to summon Longtail and Dustpelt away. His amber eyes glinted once, and silently, so his followers and the Clan wouldn't hear, he hissed, "I shall be watching you, Darkstripe. One wrong move, and you will be a warrior of ThunderClan no longer."

Darkstripe raised his head even further, not looking at his former mentor. The dark leader stalked away to speak with a dusky brown she-cat. Mousefur nodded, dipping her head, and listened to everything the leader said to her, but her eyes drifted to her mate the whole time. Her eyes whispered, _What happened?_

Fireheart stood beside Darkstripe, and the black tabby turned to the ginger tom, knowing he was not alone. The two toms watched Tigerstar as he gave orders to his deputy, but Mousefur was not intent. As soon as Tigerstar and his warriors moved away, Mousefur only remained still until the dark tabby walked into his den. That was when the she-cat sprinted across the clearing the shadows where Darkstripe was. She noticed Fireheart, and her yellow eyes shone with confusion. "Hello, Fireheart." Her lyrical voice rang with her puzzlement.

Fireheart dipped his head to the ThunderClan deputy. "Mousefur." The beautiful brown warrior gazed at Darkstripe with many unspoken questions. Her eyes darted to the forest and back, and Darkstripe knew she wanted to speak in private. Darkstripe dipped his head in farewell to Fireheart, and the ginger tom said goodbye. The two cats left Fireheart to sink back to his belly, resting his head on his paws, but his green eyes were staring out into space, sparking with intelligence.

Mousefur and Darkstripe padded out into the forest somewhat casually, in case any other cat looked their way, until they were out of camp. That was when Mousefur faced her mate and spoke softly. "I heard Tigerstar talk to you. He has no right to speak with you that way!"

"I was disrespectful," Darkstripe admitted, lowering his head. "He had every right to talk to me the way he did."

Mousefur's eyes flashed. "I don't like him belittling you. You are the best warrior in the Clan, better than the rest of them, better than Tigerstar. They just can't see that!"

"I'm not ready to be good in his eyes," Darkstripe meowed. "Not after what I said."

Mousefur sighed, and she embraced him, nuzzling against his neck fur. "Mousefur-" Darkstripe began after a few moments. "What are you going to do when your kits come?"

Her gold eyes darkened. "I've considered running from ThunderClan before it happens."

"But where will you go? In leaf-bare too?" Darkstripe murmured.

She took a deep breath and finally, she meowed, "I'm not sure. I don't want our kits to be Clanless. They deserve to live as warriors. RiverClan, perhaps?"

Darkstripe dipped his head, and purred, "RiverClan warriors, our kits?" His voice hushed. "Mousefur, but what about those few moons before they do come? When you should be in the nursery?"

Mousefur's eyes clouded. "Run then?"

"It will be leaf-bare still. The kits won't come before new-leaf."

"Then…" Mousefur murmured, confused.

"What if I took over as deputy before?"

Mousefur's loving eyes became flat and she took one step back. This was what he had always wanted, that he knew she knew, and he never knew she feared his ambition. But this was not for power now. This was to protect her and their unborn children.

"Please, Mousefur," he pleaded. "Tigerstar can't hurt you if you're not deputy. And I'll have influence over the Clan to turn them against him."

"Turn them against him?" she echoed. "Darkstripe…I don't like Tigerstar, but he is still our leader, until we flee to RiverClan. You're…what you're saying is an act of betrayal; it's against the warrior code to go against our leader!"

"Mousefur, please listen and don't repeat what I say to any other cat," Darkstripe meowed urgently, and his love was silent and intent when he spoke again. "I was talking to Fireheart before." Her yellow eyes sprang with many questions, but she didn't move or speak. "I woke him before he froze in his sleep, and we spoke about…a lot of things for a while. He…he knows about us, Mousefur."

The beautiful warrior's eyes flashed with fear. "You told Fireheart?"

"No, he found out for himself," Darkstripe explained. "He isn't stupid or blind like the Clan thinks. And he isn't against ThunderClan, he's against Tigerstar. And so am I. He told me something that will never make me trust our leader ever again."

"What did he say?" Mousefur whispered softly, pressing against him.

"Something dreadful. Mousefur." The queen looked up into his eyes. "Mousefur, no rogue killed Bluestar. It was Tigerstar."


	10. Chapter Eight

"What!" Mousefur hissed. "But that's impossible!"

"No," Darkstripe murmured gravely. "Fireheart knew all this time. No one believed him. We ought to give him more credit the Clan has ever granted him. All those times we thought he betrayed the Clan, he was looking for answers."

Mousefur shivered. "We can't let Tigerstar remain as leader! Not if he murdered Bluestar! Someone else will die, or he'll come after you! Or the kits, if he ever finds out."

"He won't," Darkstripe vowed. "I will protect you, Mousefur, you and our children. Tigerstar won't lay one claw on you."

Mousefur sighed, closing her eyes, but some of her old pride shone through her mew. "I'm a warrior too, Darkstripe. I'll fight."

Darkstripe bowed his head, and he murmured, "I never believed it would come to this. Warriors rebelling against a leader that gained power by killing and killing. He'll destroy ThunderClan."

"It won't be our Clan for long," Mousefur reminded him.

"No," Darkstripe agreed. "Not unless we're rid of him before our kits come."

Mousefur nodded. "Then we have work to do."

Darkstripe pressed his muzzle against hers. "Yes. ThunderClan won't be under Tigerstar's rule for much longer. And I'll die before I let any cat, Tigerstar or anyone else, hurt you."

_Darkstripe padded calmly through the shadowy forest, feeling strangely at ease. He had walked this dim path twice before over the last seasons, and Thistleclaw's presence had haunted him for those moons. But Darkstripe wouldn't let the dead tom come-he would not give himself completely to the former ThunderClan warrior. He knew the cat had done wrong in his life…he wouldn't allow himself to become like that._

_When he reached the circle of trees that he had met Thistleclaw those two times before, after the tom had first discovered the old ThunderClan cat, Darkstripe sat in waiting, allowing himself to fall totally still. He fell at a dark, spiky-furred tom's paws, his blue eyes staring up at a pair of fox-like eyes looking down. They were blazing wildfires, furious for Darkstripe's wayward behavior towards these meetings._

"_You need to show more commitment to this training," Thistleclaw ordered._

"_I know, my lord," Darkstripe meowed respectfully. "Forgive me for not coming sooner. The waking world has kept me away from this place."_

"_I am proud of the way you handled Tigerstar today," Thistleclaw praised. "You must expose his treachery before he takes ThunderClan down. You must take control of it after that. You can lead ThunderClan to take revenge on ShadowClan."_

"_Yes, Thistleclaw," Darkstripe meowed, dipping his head. "I shall do as you say. But I will not do it your way."_

_Thistleclaw ignored that. "You have not followed the Plan, Darkstripe. When will you take Mousefur's life? You must do so to become deputy."_

_Darkstripe's claws unsheathed and he burst into snarls. "I'll never do such a thing! I love Mousefur!"_

"_When will you realize love is worth nothing? It will only destroy you!"_

"_I don't need your teaching if you want me to murder the mother of my kits," Darkstripe hissed, turning away from the dark-hearted spirit. _

"_Wait, Darkstripe." Darkstripe obeyed, stopping to face Thistleclaw. The spiky tom was only a mouse-length away from him. "You came up with an idea today, to take over deputyship when Mousefur was too weak to remain in that position."_

"_Yes, I did."_

"_Good," Thistleclaw murmured. "Good. You will become deputy, and then you shall kill Tigerstar. It will not take long. That despicable tom will be too crazed by the time the day of your triumph comes."_

"_I understand what I must do, my lord," Darkstripe told him solemnly._

"_Good, good," he droned. "Then your time shall come indeed. Patience. Unlike my old apprentice, you will not fail."_

"_Your old apprentice?" Darkstripe repeated. "I never knew you had one, Master."_

"_With time, you will." Thistleclaw nodded, and dipped his head once. "Farewell, Darkstripe. You will be Darkstar before long."_

The snow melted in the camp in one moon. Darkstripe avoided talking to Tigerstar directly during that time, biding his time before he would save ThunderClan. He would not let this cat take anything away from him.

Most cats didn't speak to Darkstripe for that moon. Longtail never uttered more than a few words anymore. Only Fireheart and Mousefur talked to him, and Mousefur had to do it in secret. It wasn't until the next Gathering, that things changed for the worse.

"Cats of ThunderClan, we will be leaving for the Gathering soon," Tigerstar announced. "And accompanying my deputy and I will be Dustpelt, Longtail, Cloudheart, Fernleaf, Fireheart, Yellowfang, Cinderpaw, Snowpaw, Bramblepaw, Tawnypaw, and Darkstripe." Darkstripe blinked in surprise. Tigerstar was taking him to the Gathering? He met Mousefur's eyes. He knew then it wasn't the tyrant's idea, but his mate's.

Darkstripe padded with Fireheart for a little while, following Tigerstar's patrol out of the camp. But the ginger warrior wanted to speak with his nephew, Cloudheart, so Darkstripe watched the flame-colored warrior pad over to his snowy former apprentice. Cloudheart's eyes flashed with happiness when he saw his old mentor, and the two cats fell into conversation. Darkstripe caught a dusky brown shape out of the corner of his eye, and he knew Mousefur was trying to make it seem as if she wasn't intentionally trying to move towards him. Darkstripe felt pride at how well his love disguised their forbidden romance.

Mousefur padded beside the black tabby and kept a level stare when she spoke to him. "Hello, Darkstripe."

"Hi, Mousefur." Darkstripe was angry with himself. Why could he sound as indifferent as her? "What do you think Tigerstar will say to WindClan?"

The WindClan warriors had begun to hunt on ThunderClan territory again, once the weather had turned cold. Darkstripe shivered and felt fire towards the prey-stealing Clan. Without prey, Mousefur and the kits would starve. Himself, he didn't care either way.

"I don't know." The band of ThunderClan warriors and apprentices padded to Fourtrees and Tigerstar did not even wait before he entered the Gathering. The other ThunderClan cats followed behind, and instead of sounds of welcoming from the other Clans, the other cats were whispering about them and shooting hard glances at the ThunderClan warriors. A ShadowClan queen even hissed furiously at the warriors.

"What's with them?" Darkstripe heard Fireheart ask his old friend, Graystripe. The tom had fled to RiverClan with his forbidden kits. The silver warrior had not seen the former ThunderClan warrior since Greenleaf.

"There was a murder," Graystripe whispered. "On the ShadowClan border. Originally, WindClan thought it was ShadowClan that murdered Onewhisker, but they found fur in his claws smelling of ThunderClan."

"Not Onewhisker," Fireheart gasped sorrowfully, and Darkstripe's heart wrenched for his friend. Darkstripe approached the two warriors, and when Graystripe saw his enemy, he raised his spine in an threatening arch. His pulled his lips back in a snarl. "What do you want, Darkstripe?" he spat.

Darkstripe remained silent, and his vivid blue eyes glared harshly. Fireheart stood between the two warriors, and murmured to Graystripe, "Don't, Graystripe. Darkstripe's a friend."

"Friend!" Graystripe echoed incredulously. "We hate him, Fireheart! How could you even say that!"

"Darkstripe defended me against Tigerstar before the entire Clan," Fireheart meowed softly. "He's Tigerstar's enemy too."

"His enemy?" Graystripe repeated, amber eyes open wide.

"And he's your half-brother."

Graystripe narrowed his eyes, and meowed, "Well fine. Any cat against Tigerstar is with me." Darkstripe dipped his head to his half-brother, Willowpelt's son as well, but Patchpelt's son instead of Adderfang.

"I'm sorry for any hostile actions I had before, Graystripe," Darkstripe apologized. Graystripe seemed too astonished for Darkstripe's change in heart to say anything for a while.

The Gathering began at Leopardstar's yowl. He remembered hearing Crookedstar died the moon before, but it was strange seeing the golden she-cat on the Great Rock instead of the huge tabby with the twisted jaw. And there was another cat upon the Great Rock too that Darkstripe didn't expect. Nightstar was gone. An undersize tabby warrior sat upon the rock, amber eyes flashing in the darkness.

"We welcome the new leader of ShadowClan," Leopardstar began, her coppery gaze turning to the small tom respectfully. "Would you like to speak first, Littlestar?"

Littlestar had been Littlecloud, a warrior who had nearly died of the deadly ShadowClan disease the Greenleaf before. He had remembered hearing that Nightstar died, but he didn't remember hearing anything about the sickness again. How had Cinderstar died so quickly?

Or was Cinderstar another murder, another cat lost in the ambition of one dark cat?


	11. Chapter Nine

"Yes, thank you," Littlestar meowed. "The death of Cinderstar surprised all of ShadowClan. We do not know how he died currently."

Yowls erupted from the cats of other Clans, and Darkstripe froze. RiverClan, ShadowClan, and WindClan seemed to be screeching at ThunderClan.

"A patrol led by Darkflower found him dead on the border with ThunderClan," Littlestar continued. "The claw marks on him looked too big to be a cat, but there have been no badger or fox sightings lately." His eyes flashed in the moonlight, and the cold of leaf-bare was gone in the fire of the hate of the Clans.

"We assure you, whoever murdered our leader, whoever took those seven lives he had left, will be discovered," Littlestar promised. "Runningnose's apprentice, Whitethroat, is surveying our old leader's body tonight to search for any clues. Otherwise, ShadowClan is alright." He dipped his head to Leopardstar. "You may speak, my friend."

Leopardstar dipped her head, and did not hesitate when she yowled, "Cats of all Clans, RiverClan too have a death to report." Darkstripe's eyes flashed to Graystripe, and the gray warrior looked like he was in pain when Leopardstar said this.

"His name was Stonefur," Leopardstar meowed sadly. "He was a wonderful deputy and would have made a powerful leader of RiverClan one day." She was silent for one moment, and then meowed powerfully, "My new deputy is Mistyfoot. If any cat knows how her brother died, speak up now." When no cat spoke, she hissed, "Fine. If the murderer does not wish to reveal themselves, then I shall tell you all what RiverClan suspects. ThunderClan is responsible for Stonefur's murder!"

Darkstripe sprang to his paws to yowl his protest against Leopardstar's accusation. But then he paused, seeing Graystripe's mourning face. The gray tom murmured to Fireheart, "I was in that patrol that found him. He had ThunderClan scent all over him."

"I'm sorry," Fireheart murmured. "I know nothing of this, I assure you."

"Of course," Graystripe replied, sniffling. "_You're_ an honorable warrior."

Leopardstar spoke over the protesting ThunderClan cats. She did not even look at Tigerstar to see what he'd say. She only spoke to Tallstar. "It is your turn."

The old black-and-white tom leaped to the front. His amber eyes flashed with anger. "ThunderClan has killed a cat in every other Clan! For one of my warriors, Onewhisker, is dead as well!"

The caterwauls of the other Clans were deafening. One cat pressed against Darkstripe's pelt. He looked to the left to see Mousefur next to him. He was horrified. How could she be so open in front of every Clan. But he understood. Why would any cat be looking at them any different? No other Clan knew of Tigerstar's ridiculous laws, and other ThunderClan warriors were too busy defending themselves.

"Not to forget they killed Deadfoot last Greenleaf," Mudclaw, the WindClan deputy, added in a loud growl. "And attacked us within our camp for no reason."

"Fox dung!" Cloudheart yowled. "ThunderClan murdered no one and _you_ WindClan cats stole from _us_."

"Is that any excuse to murder our Clan mates?" a RiverClan queen, Mosspelt, screeched back.

"This is bad," Mousefur whispered to Darkstripe. "I'm going to try to speak." The dusky brown warrior leaped onto an elevating stone, somewhat above the Clans. "Silence!" she shrieked, and the Clans looked up to her. Her yellow eyes blazed. "This is all too soon to blame ThunderClan! What proof do you really have?"

Leopardstar's eyes smoldered. "The _proof_ was all over Stonefur's pelt!"

Mousefur was calm, all for her voice, which rang out bravely. "If Stonefur patrolled the ThunderClan border, he could have picked up stray fur from one of our warriors who were there earlier in his claws!"

"Or a ThunderClan cat could have murdered him!" a WindClan elder hissed.

Mousefur continued. "And as for Cinderstar, even ThunderClan grieves for ShadowClan's loss. We all know how hard he worked to rebuild ShadowClan after the sickness. What would ThunderClan gain out of taking his lives, all seven?"

"Prey, territory!" the creamy warrior Oakfur of ShadowClan roared.

"We are warriors, not rogues!" Mousefur hissed, and Darkstripe's heart was shining with pride. What a leader she would make. "Cinderstar was on the ThunderClan border, for StarClan's sake! Of _course_ there was ThunderClan scent on him!"

"As for WindClan, we are sorry for Onewhisker. He was a good warrior, but he was _not_ murdered by ThunderClan. Tallstar, do you really have any proof ThunderClan killed Onewhisker?"

"I never said that they did," Tallstar meowed, but the Clans knew the meaning. "And he was on the ThunderClan border."

"Exactly," Mousefur meowed. "We had rogues last new-leaf. Former ShadowClan warriors, and others."

"Are you blaming ShadowClan, Mousefur?" Littlestar meowed calmly but there was spark in his voice.

"No, Littlestar," Mousefur replied respectfully. "The rogues that attacked our camp killed our old leader, Bluestar. Is it possible they would continue their killing?"

The Clans seemed to accept this, muttering approval for the deep brown deputy. She dipped her head, and leaped down next to Darkstripe. "Why did you say the rogues killed Bluestar?" he whispered to her. "You know the didn't."

"It isn't my place to say that here," she murmured softly, but she was more cautious now that the other cats were aware of her. "We must expose Tigerstar on our own first, love, and right now, ThunderClan needn't to be blamed for something the warriors didn't do." Darkstripe nodded, but one thought struck his mind. Mousefur's reply was slanted. She said _warriors._ Was she implying she suspected Tigerstar of these murders? He hoped it wasn't true, however much he wanted the dark leader gone. It would only mean war with the other Clans, and how many would believe the word of a few warriors when the leader would deny it?

Darkstripe noticed that Tigerstar had not said a word since the Gathering had begun. Not even to defend his Clan. Mousefur was the one who had done that, the deputy of the Clan, soon an ordinary warrior.

Tigerstar padded up to the front of the Rock. "ThunderClan is thriving through leaf-bare. We have many kits in our nursery. Our borders are well-protected and prey is running." Darkstripe's eyes flashed. That was a lie. There was hardly enough prey to feed the queens and elders, let alone the whole Clan. _And Mousefur._

"But we do also have something to report," Tigerstar hissed. "RiverClan has been stealing prey!"

Yowls of protest came from the RiverClan warriors, including Graystripe, who sprang to his paws beside Darkstripe and Fireheart. "That's impossible! We've only been catching fish!"

"With your river frozen?" Tigerstar spat down to his old enemy.

"Our river is flowing, Tigerstar," Leopardstar growled. "And you haven't the right to accuse RiverClan of something they haven't done."

"As you just did to ThunderClan," Tigerstar flashed back. Leopardstar's fur bristled and she flexed her claws.

Mousefur stood over the Clans again. "Er, Tigerstar," she called. "You mean WindClan. RiverClan haven't even stepped over our border."

The WindClan cats tried to defend themselves, but it wasn't as powerful as RiverClan. Even Tallstar didn't say anything at first. Leopardstar hissed, "Keep your head straight before you accuse us, Tigerstar."

"WindClan have stolen prey!" Tigerstar yowled, ignoring the RiverClan leader. "We have proof of this!"

The black-and-white WindClan leader yowled, "WindClan felt as if this was payback for our dead warriors. And for the attack on our camp two seasons before."

"The battle was because of your prey-stealing rogues you call warriors!" Tigerstar roared. "And ThunderClan will do it again tomorrow if you defend your pitiful Clan once more!"

Every Clan protested at these words, even the ThunderClan cats. Darkstripe hissed at his adversary. Tigerstar had changed, but not for the better as Darkstripe had thought before. The ambition for his power was blinding him, making his actions senseless. Thistleclaw's rasp was in his ear. _Your time is coming, young Darkstripe. ThunderClan is crumbling at Tigerstar's bloody paws._

_Shut up! _Darkstripe thought. ThunderClan would be rid of Tigerstar once he took power. But he had to wait for Mousefur to leave deputyship. He only hoped Tigerstar wouldn't destroy ThunderClan before then. _Hurry, Darkstripe! Fate has no love for personal attachments in its way._

_I said shut up!_ Darkstripe blocked his thoughts of any words of Thistleclaw's. Tigerstar was still talking when he tuned back in. "If you want to declare war, Tallstar, then you shall have war."

"WindClan is not declaring war!" Tallstar bellowed, exasperated. "We have finished the raids. Any actions of WindClan warriors will not be of knowledge to me. And they will be punished if they cross your borders, Tigerstar."

"See to it that that is done!" Tigerstar hissed, and Darkstripe flinched. A leader of another Clan was never supposed to order another leader around.

Tallstar spat at the dark tabby, and yowled, "This Gathering is over! Every cat leave before blood is shed over ThunderClan's actions." The black-and-white tom streaked off the Great Rock, waving his tail to call the WindClan warriors away.

Leopardstar shrieked, "If any ThunderClan cats are found on our territory, Tigerstar, they will be clawed to shreds, no questions asked, Tigerstar. You have found an enemy in RiverClan." She growled, "RiverClan, let's go!" The other RiverClan warriors milled around their leader, and a pretty silver tabby with liquid blue eyes called to Graystripe, "Come on, father!"

Darkstripe's eyes widened. This must have been Graystripe's daughter, Feathertail. He had last seen her as a kit beside her brother Stormfur's side in the ThunderClan nursery in new-leaf. Graystripe touched noses with his friend Fireheart. "Farewell, Fireheart. I hope nothing else happens." Fireheart meowed a sorrowful goodbye to his best friend, and Graystripe turned to Darkstripe. He dipped his head. "Goodbye, Darkstripe. I'm proud to call you my brother again." The big gray warrior streamed away, lost into RiverClan. ShadowClan left behind Littlestar.

Mousefur looked into Darkstripe's eyes for a heartbeat, pouring out everything they could not say aloud with ThunderClan around in her loving gaze, and then sprang to Tigerstar's side. The ThunderClan cats left Fourtrees then, fear and disbelief prickling in every ThunderClan cat's pelt. Bramblepaw and Tawnypaw were staring at their father in shock. Yellowfang was watching her leader with furious eyes, and Cinderpaw stood at her mentor's side, eyes awed and scared.

When the ThunderClan cats walked nearly silently back to camp, Darkstripe heard his mate whisper to Tigerstar warily, "Tigerstar, what of the other Clan's accusations? We must be trying to keep the peace, not starting wars! ThunderClan is not strong enough now…"

Tigerstar's eyes blazed, and he swung one paw on the side of Mousefur's head to cuff her. The beautiful deputy swayed, and Darkstripe sprang forward. That was it. He would kill Tigerstar when he saw the chance. Thistleclaw was right. Tigerstar's time was at end. But Mousefur seemed to be alright, and Tigerstar growled, "If you ever contradict me at a Gathering again, you'll never be a ThunderClan cat again, do you hear?"

Mousefur dipped her head but yellow fear sparked in her eyes. Darkstripe stopped, knowing ThunderClan cats were passing him, but his vivid blue eyes were blazing with dark fury. He lowered his head into shadows, and felt hate pierce his heart. He would not rest until Tigerstar's black blood was flowing on his paws.


	12. Chapter Ten

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey, meet beneath the Highrock for a Clan meeting!" Tigerstar screeched. Every cat in ThunderClan except for the queens, who remained with their kits, afraid to leave them, padded over to their leader, looking up at him with somewhat wary eyes.

It was a few days after the Gathering. The newly named Snowclaw was sitting beside his friend Fernleaf. Tigerstar had named his the morning before to prove that ThunderClan was still strong. Staring at the young warrior, Darkstripe thought, _'Who's Tigerstar trying to prove that ThunderClan is strong? ThunderClan?'_

"Cats of ThunderClan, we have to name a new deputy," Tigerstar rang out. At once, cries of disbelief filled the air. "Why?" the young warrior Swiftfoot yowled. "Mousefur's an excellent deputy!"

Darkstripe hissed when he heard Swiftfoot defend his mate. The young black-and-white tom was still in love with Darkstripe's forbidden love. Darkstripe shook off the thought. He should've been happy that cats would support the mother of his kits.

"Mousefur has resigned," Tigerstar announced. "She no longer wishes to be deputy of ThunderClan. She feels as if she cannot serve in times like this, but feels that other cats can." His eyes rested on Darkstripe once, but then whisked away. "So it is time to name another deputy."

"Coward!" Dustpelt hissed at Mousefur.

"Mousefur is no coward!" Darkstripe flashed at his former friend. "She's braver than you are, Dustpelt. Who else had the courage to speak against every other Clan at the Gathering in ThunderClan's favor, and well at that?" Darkstripe's former apprentice snapped his jaws shut and only glared.

"Very well," Tigerstar meowed calmly. _This is one of his good days_, Darkstripe thought. _He's not losing his head. Let's see if he can keep a promise._

"I say these words before StarClan," Tigerstar yowled, his amber eyes glaring in my direction. "Darkstripe will be the new deputy of ThunderClan." Darkstripe didn't feel any pride enter his heart. He only kept his eyes level with his adversary, wondering why he had decided to keep his promise.

"Darkstripe! Darkstripe!" the Clan chanted, including Mousefur. Her yellow eyes were shining with pride, and her tail was waved happily. She wanted this for him. Soon, they'd run away together. _Short-lived deputyship_, Darkstripe thought.

"Thank you," Darkstripe meowed finally to the waiting cats. "I will be proud to serve as deputy as long as I live in ThunderClan, as well as I can." The cats yowled their approval, but they hadn't understood Darkstripe's hidden meaning. Tigerstar was watching his new deputy with an interested gaze, and Darkstripe glanced back at him, narrowing his eyes. Then he let the Clan cats mew their congratulations, though some were less surprised than others. Of the warriors that didn't come over to him were Longtail and Dustpelt, which he expected. But what disturbed him was Fireheart didn't once approach him. He sought out his closest friend in ThunderClan, but the ginger warrior was standing in the warrior's den. His green eyes glinted emotionlessly in the shadows. Darkstripe excused himself from his Clan mates, and padded to the den to speak with Fireheart.

"Fireheart," he meowed, and behind him, the Clan returned to their normal duties. Mousefur had already organized patrols for him before she resigned. "What's the matter."

"So you're deputy," he growled. "Closer to Tigerstar than before."

"Yes," Darkstripe purred. When he saw his friend's eyes narrow, he meowed, "That's good, isn't it."

"Good for who? ThunderClan or you?"

Darkstripe's blue gaze flashed. "For ThunderClan. And Mousefur." Fireheart tilted his head, and Darkstripe hushed. "I must do what is right for her. Even if that means running to RiverClan."

"But you're the deputy now," Fireheart hissed. "How can you run away? Why?"

"Tigerstar will drive me out anyway if he finds out about Mousefur."

"But the law refuses the deputy to have kits," Fireheart meowed.

"No," Darkstripe murmured. "It says that the deputy cannot fall in love. We will be thrown into the forest to die. That is why we will leave ThunderClan."

"Then you know what you must do if you want to remain in ThunderClan," Fireheart said softly.

Darkstripe said nothing. "You must expose Tigerstar," Fireheart whispered. "You have to expose him for his crimes."

"Did he kill those cats in the other Clans?"

"I don't know."

"Did he kill Redtail?"

Fireheart's green eyes flashed with surprise. "How do you know?"

"I think I always knew," Darkstripe admitted. "But I always denied it before."

"Yes," Fireheart meowed. "I'm sorry. I know he was your uncle. I never knew him."

Darkstripe nodded. He said farewell to his friend, but before he left, Fireheart meowed, "Don't forget I'm with you on this Darkstripe. If any cat wants rid of Tigerstar more than you, it's I."


	13. Chapter Eleven

Mousefur could not hide her kits any longer. When Darkstripe saw her the first morning of new-leaf, he saw that her belly was noticeable now. Some of the warriors had begun to gossip. Swiftfoot's eyes flashed with accusation whenever he saw his first love. Mousefur had to look away whenever she passed her Clan mates.

"Darkpaw," she whispered to him after he'd given the patrols orders for the day. "Come out with me to the forest." Her eyes were wide with fear, and Darkstripe nodded. He padded behind her through the dirtplace tunnel, so no cat would see them go.

"What's wrong, Mousefur?" Darkstripe meowed. His heart skipped a beat. "It's not the kits, is it?"

"Not yet," she promised. "But I saw Yellowfang today, behind the medicine den. She told me I have about a moon before they'll come."

"Then it is time to go?"

"I…I can't do it," Mousefur mewed, half-wailing. "I can't leave ThunderClan, and I can't leave you Darkstripe."

"What are you talking about? I'm coming with you!"

"But you're the deputy now. I…you can't leave."

"But we may not need to," Darkstripe meowed.

"What do you mean? Tigerstar will expel us as soon as he…"

"He can't know if he's dead." Mousefur's eyes flew open in shock. Darkstripe dipped his head, feeling that his love shouldn't have understood him better. _How did you expect her to react? You sound like Tigerstar!_ He shook that away. _I'm no Tigerstar._

"No, Darkstripe!" Mousefur meowed. "Forget my misgivings. We will run away to RiverClan. I'm sorry."

"No," Darkstripe said firmly. "I have to do this. Do you know how many lives he's taken? Bluestar, Redtail, probably those cats at the Gathering…"

"You'd be no better to take his lives!" Mousefur breathed. Her yellow eyes were pleading. "Please don't do it. We'll run away now."

"Now?" Darkstripe felt excitement course through his body. "You mean, right now?"

"Yes," Mousefur murmured, pressing closer to me. "If it keeps you from murdering anyone."

"We don't need RiverClan," Darkstripe meowed urgently. "Not if we can save ThunderClan. Think! I, leader of ThunderClan!"

Mousefur shook her head. "I don't know you then Darkstripe."

"That's not what I meant, Mousefur."

"Then do if for me! Do it for our children! Forget ThunderClan!"

Darkstripe sighed. She was right. ThunderClan was no place for us any longer, not with Tigerstar ruling it. "Give me a moment, Mousefur. I need to think."

"Alright," she purred, but her voice was betraying her fear. "I'll meet you in our alcove, behind the nursery."

"Until then, my love." He licked her muzzle before darting away. Darkstripe padded farther into the forest until he found himself at the edge of the river. Had he walked all the way to RiverClan's border? He blinked, looking across the water to where the cats of RiverClan dwelled. Was that truly his destiny? To swim in these churning currents until he died, for the sake of running from something he could save? Something he could change and rid of all evils? He warred with his own feelings of revenge until he heard a screech. Some cat was in pain!

Darkstripe streamed to where he thought the sound was coming from. He darted to a rose bush that hid him well. He peered through the flowering branches to see a bleeding black-and-white tom. At first Darkstripe didn't recognize him nor his scent. His brown eyes were open wide with pain and his patched fur was torn and bleeding. Woundless, another cat sat beside the bleeding tom, watching him struggle without any movement. His amber eyes were gleaming and his huge paws were on the black-and-white tom's neck.

"Tallstar!" Darkstripe gasped a little too loudly. The black-and-white tom struggled to look up, and the dark tabby tom who held Tallstar down hissed, cursing. Darkstripe sprang from his hiding place, blue eyes flashing. "Tigerstar, release him!"

"Stay out of this, deputy of ThunderClan!" Tigerstar growled. "Darkstripe, if this was any business of yours, I might as well have alerted the whole Clan."

"Let Tallstar go!" Darkstripe repeated. Another stench of blood drifted into his nostrils from another direction. A dark brown tom laid motionless on the forest floor. It was Mudclaw, the deputy of WindClan. "How could you kill him too?"

"I felt nothing when I killed him," Tigerstar muttered, shivering. His eyes were unnaturally bright. "Tallstar too, as I took his eighth life. One more, and WindClan will be finished. More prey for ThunderClan! More land!" Darkstripe shuddered, taking one paw step back. Tigerstar was sounding insane.

"Tallstar, I'll help you up," Darkstripe told the old tom, padding to the WindClan cat's side. But when he shouldered the leader to help him up, Tigerstar woke from his episode. He screeched, "Back off, Darkstripe!" The tabby tom leapt over the fallen WindClan tom and scored his claws across his old friend's shoulder. Darkstripe recoiled, hissing with the pain, and his eyes were blue fire.

"Tigerstar! You'll never rule ThunderClan after this! Not when the Clan hears of this!" Darkstripe yowled. Mousefur had gotten to him. He would not kill Tigerstar. Not here. Not with Tallstar. And now he had the proof he needed to expose the traitorous tom for what he'd done, with Tallstar a witness and victim.

"Foolish warrior!" Tigerstar cackled. He shot after Darkstripe, who was only swifter and managed the dodge his leader's vicious claws. "ThunderClan won't believe you! I'm their leader! And I'd kill you and anyone else who'll stand in my way!" Tigerstar threw himself at Darkstripe, and this time his claws met their mark. Darkstripe howled with the pain, and his scarlet blood trickled out of the side wound.

"Tigerstar, end this!" Darkstripe yowled.

The formidable dark tabby's brown paw crashed down, meaning to hit Darkstripe on the head, but only whisked by his ears. Darkstripe hissed and backed away. "It would be against the warrior code to attack you, Tigerstar. Stop."

_What are you talking about, warrior code?_ Thistleclaw had returned. _This is your time! What are you waiting for? Kill him! Power shall be yours!_

"No!" Darkstripe hissed, and he only then realized that he'd spoken aloud. This puzzled Tigerstar only for a heartbeat, when he struck again. Darkstripe hopped out of this way, only dodging the dark tom, not fighting. This was for Mousefur. He couldn't risk losing, not with her back. He could wait for Tallstar to aide him though.

_Kill him now!_

_I won't do it, Thistleclaw! I'll expose him! ThunderClan will drive him out!_

_Fine! If you won't destroy that tyrant, I _will_!_

"What?" Darkstripe muttered, but then he felt someone else's presence filling him. In his mind, he imagined Thistleclaw as himself. He looked at his paws, but they were brown now instead of silver-black. His eyes turned amber and his fur spiky. He knew the other cats wouldn't see Thistleclaw, but the dead warrior had possessed his body's actions. Thistleclaw pulled Darkstripe's paws closer to Tigerstar, physically guiding his movements.

"Stop!" Darkstripe shrieked, but Thistleclaw hissed, _No! _Thistleclaw, or Darkstripe, sprang at Tigerstar. The dark tom was frozen with shock when Thistleclaw tore Darkstripe's claws down his side, and dark blood slid out of him. Darkstripe fought against his mentor but Thistleclaw battered unsheathed paws against Tigerstar's head. The ThunderClan leader wailed before collapsing to the forest floor. Tigerstar's amber eyes closed and he stopped bleeding. The tabby tom was dead. Darkstripe stared at his blood-stained paws.

Thistleclaw slipped from him. _There. He's dead. Whether or not he returns or not, it'll be your fate._

_How could you? I said to Mousefur I wouldn't! I've betrayed her!_

Thistleclaw grinned in the silver tabby's head, and then vanished. Tallstar had gotten to his paws and was watching him awestruck. Darkstripe licked his silvery chest fur self-consciously, and then meowed, "Tallstar, I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me…"

Tallstar waved his tail for silence. "Think nothing of it. You were very brave to save me by taking a life from your leader. You have sacrificed much, young warrior."

Darkstripe dipped his head, but then Tallstar whispered, "If Tigerstar wakes, he will not suffer you well. I won't forget what happened here today. If you are in need, WindClan will provide." He dipped his head to the young ThunderClan warrior, and then sprinted back to the moor, carrying Mudclaw's body gently in his jaws.

Darkstripe sighed, sinking on his haunches before he felt pain hit his head. Stars flew before he blacked out completely…


	14. Chapter Twelve

When Darkstripe awoke, he was atop the Highrock. Sun beat down on his fur, and he tried to stand with weakened legs. When his blue eyes adjusted to the light, he realized the Clan was staring up at him. Fireheart's green eyes were dismayed from the back of the crowd, and from the edge of the base of the rock was Mousefur, her yellow eyes pools of grief. She seemed to be whispering something over and over again and it looked like, "No…"

Tigerstar burst from his den and leapt to the top of the Highrock, his back paws pummeling Darkstripe's tired body claws unsheathed. Darkstripe hissed in fury and pain, sinking back to his belly. Dustpelt and Longtail were on top of the rock as well, standing on either side of Darkstripe. _Pitiful,_ Thistleclaw mused, _Guards? Is Tigerstar that afraid?_

_Shut up, you daft murderer! _Darkstripe thought. _It's all your fault that this is even happening!_ Thistleclaw did not speak, but Darkstripe saw him half-purring in his mind at Tigerstar's 'daftness' and Thistleclaw was muttering.

"Cats of ThunderClan!" Tigerstar screeched. "Today I was patrolling the WindClan border and found Darkstripe standing over the deputy of WindClan, Mudclaw, who was bleeding to death! And the blood was on Darkstripe's paws!"

Darkstripe heard yowls of pure anger against him from the Clan and he couldn't stand this anymore. Tigerstar had to exposed now, if ever. Darkstripe sprang to his paws, escaping the grasp of his 'guards'. He leapt to the front, feeling the hatred in every cat's eyes, except for four eyes. "Do not listen to Tigerstar! I was the one who found him standing over _Tallstar's_ body and Mudclaw's dead one had his dark fur in his claws! He is the murderer that took the lives of those cats at the Gathering as well, and Bluestar's!"

"Drive him out of the Clan!" some cat yowled, but when Darkstripe was about to feel relief, he realized it was Ashfall, staring straight at Darkstripe. "He tells lies about our leader! Drive him out!" The Clan took up the cry, and Mousefur closed her eyes in pain. Darkstripe shook his head with fear.

"Listen to me!" Darkstripe called, but Tigerstar knocked the silver black tabby to the rocky floor, and continued to speak.

"ThunderClan, I shall leave the choice up to you. Drive this traitor out or kill him where he stands? Before you make your decision, allow me to tell you that he also tried to kill me as well! When I tried to make this cat see sense and release Mudclaw, the poor deputy was already dead. Darkstripe sprang at me and took one of my lives!" The Clan shrieked again, but Mousefur called over the crowd.

"Darkstripe would never do that!" the beautiful brown she-cat wailed. "He is good! He didn't kill Mudclaw, did you Darkstripe?"

"No," Darkstripe replied, his heart wrenching. The Clan seemed to be listening now.

"And did you take Tigerstar's life as well?" Mousefur called, her yellow eyes shining.

Darkstripe dipped his head. "Yes, Mousefur." The Clan yowled again, and Mousefur's face fell, darkening with pain.

"Send him away!" Fernleaf cried, and Bramblepaw screeched the same. Thornclaw took up his cousin's cry, and Tawnypaw stared at her mentor with shock.

Mousefur screeched, "Darkstripe, no! You promised me you wouldn't! how could you?"

"I didn't have a choice!" Darkstripe tried to explain, but the Clan attempted to drown him out with their cries. "He's a murderer, Mousefur, a murderer!"

"Darkstripe, enough!" Tigerstar roared, and everyone fell silent. "From this day forward, you are not a warrior of ThunderClan any longer. Leave this territory and never return. If any of ThunderClan sees you lurking after moonrise, we will tear your throat from your body!" ThunderClan yowled their approval.

Darkstripe dipped his head. He couldn't stay any longer. He had tried to save ThunderClan, but he'd failed. He gazed into his love's golden eyes, but they were pained so much that she sank to her belly.

"Darkstripe," Tigerstar hissed. "You leave now. Never return." Tigerstar swiped at him, and the black tabby jumped down from the Highrock. His blue eyes swept across his former Clan, looking to his mother, Willowpelt. His pale gray mother only spat in his direction. Darkstripe looked to Fireheart, and the ginger tom dipped his head in respect, green eyes solemn. I looked to him once, shooting a look that said, _I'll explain everything._ I had to. Just because I failed once, I could work outside of ThunderClan.

"No!" Mousefur raced through her Clan, yellow eyes wide. "You can't go, Darkstripe!"

"What do you care, sister?" Runningwind spat. "He's a traitor!"

Mousefur opened her jaws in a soundless wail, and she shook her head. "I'm coming with you, Darkstripe."

"No," Darkstripe murmured. "Stay here. Stay with your family."

"You are my family," Mousefur pleaded. "Please…"

"I'll return," Darkstripe promised to her quietly. "Tigerstar hasn't won. I'll come back to ThunderClan someday."

"Don't leave me," his mate begged, her mew no more than a breath.

"I'll come back for you. Wait for me," Darkstripe told her. He looked to his angry Clan-no, not _his_ Clan-and then turned away from the only life he'd ever known.

Darkstripe raced through the ThunderClan forest towards the moorland. He had been so tired from the day and the moon was rising. His time was up. He couldn't run any longer, even with his pursuers still after him. He stopped to scent the air for a moment. Familiar smells entered his nose-Ashfall, Dustpelt, and Snowclaw. They were almost upon him.

_Tigerstar._ He had sent a patrol after him before moonrise. He didn't even listen to the Clan when he'd banished him. He wanted Darkstripe dead. A white shape burst from the bracken.

"Darkstripe!" Whitestorm hissed. "You're in my territory after moonrise. And you are an enemy of ThunderClan. I'm sorry, old friend, but I have to kill you."

"Give me more time," Darkstripe asked of the wise ThunderClan warrior. "I have been trying to escape a ThunderClan patrol."

"How long have they been after you?" Whitestorm inquired, wrapping his snowy tail around his paws.

"Since sundown," Darkstripe admitted.

Whitestorm blinked his sun-baked sand-colored eyes. "I understand. I'll let you go this once, Darkstripe, but after that…"

"Thank you, my friend," Darkstripe meowed. "I didn't mean this to happen. I'm not a murderer."

"I know," the white warrior promised. "I've seen the change. And that is because of Mousefur, is it not?"

Darkstripe sighed. After his love had begged him to stay before the whole Clan, every cat knew. Fear struck him. How could he leave her behind, now that Tigerstar had control over her? But the dark leader couldn't do anything without the _whole_ Clan's support, and more cats trusted Mousefur…

"Yes," the former ThunderClan warrior admitted. "I love her. Whitestorm…" The ivory-furred tom pricked his ears. "Watch out for her for me please. Make sure no harm comes to her."

"I promise that I will," Whitestorm vowed. He dipped his head. "Goodbye, Darkstripe. May StarClan light your path, wanderer."

Darkstripe nodded farewell, and darted over the WindClan border. That was when Snowclaw's patrol found them. He heard Dustpelt screech, "Whitestorm, you let him go!"

"The moon has only risen," were the last words Darkstripe heard before the ThunderClan cats disappeared from sight.


	15. Chapter Thirteen

Darkstripe found the WindClan patrol before they found him. He waited on the rise of the moor, gazing down upon the assembled cats racing across the moonlit grass. He spotted his friend Runningbrook, a cat named Tawnyfur, and a cat he didn't recognize. He was a ginger-and-white tom.

"Hey!" the ginger cat yowled. His green eyes flashed and he led the patrol up the hill to meet Darkstripe. "ThunderClan!" he sniffed. "What do you think you're doing on WindClan territory?"

"What does it look like?" Darkstripe half-hissed. "I'm waiting for a patrol like yours to take me to Tallstar."

"Why?" Tawnyfur demanded. "Are there more of you? Gorsetail, go search the moor for any more ThunderClan warriors. We could be invaded again." Before the ginger cat called Gorsetail ran off, Darkstripe coughed.

"Are there any more of _you_?" Darkstripe ventured, waving his tail to the three cats. "Say there was a ThunderClan battle party. Could three warriors hold them off, two with one warrior gone to search? What if Gorsetail was killed? Could two WindClan cats hold them off?"

"Fine," Tawnyfur spat. "Gorsetail, look for any more ThunderClan cats, but do _not_ attack. Report straight back to camp, and try to stay hidden, for StarClan's sake." The creamy off-white warrior nodded to me. "Let's go…"

"Darkstripe," the black tabby meowed.

"Darkstripe," Tawnyfur meowed. "Fine. Let's go, Darkstripe." The young white tom bounded at a WindClan pace and Runningbrook the same. Darkstripe had a hard time keeping up, besides the fact he was exhausted.

"Come on, Darkstripe," Runningbrook ordered sharply, green eyes blazing. "We haven't got all night. Tallstar wants us back in camp." Darkstripe flinched at her harsh words and glare. Didn't she remember him?

The pale warriors stopped at the top of the moor and Darkstripe could see the outline of gorse before them. "Why have we stopped?" Darkstripe demanded.

Tawnyfur did not answer him. "Runningbrook, get Tallstar. It is almost moonhigh. He will need to act quickly."

The pale gray she-cat nodded and sprinted over the hill. Darkstripe pricked his ears when he heard the buzzing of voices and the scent of WindClan cats nearly overwhelmed him. Was this the camp?

A familiar black-and-white tom padded into view, with two warriors behind him: Runningbrook and a young striped gray tom. What was his name? Ah, right. Webfoot. "Greetings, Darkstripe," Tallstar meowed warmly. "I knew you would come eventually." Darkstripe dipped his head to the WindClan leader, and Tawnyfur stiffened. The cream-colored warrior narrowed his leafy eyes suspiciously.

"Come into the camp, young warrior," Tallstar rasped to the former ThunderClan tom, and waved his tail to his three warriors. "We will announce your arrival to the Clan. We also have a few ceremonies to perform."

The nimble leader streamed into the gorse-laden camp and Tawnyfur and Webfoot walked beside Darkstripe. _What? More guards?_ When Darkstripe padded into the WindClan heartland, every cat looked up to watch this newcomer. Tallstar ordered the other warriors out of Darkstripe's fur, and leapt onto a skyward stone that reminded Darkstripe of the Highrock. A pang of homesickness struck Darkstripe then. _Forget ThunderClan!_

"Cats of WindClan, meet beneath the SkyStone for a Clan meeting," Tallstar yowled, and different colored scrawny cats padded under the high-rising boulder. Darkstripe flinched. There weren't that many WindClan warriors. Had Tigerstar killed more?

Tallstar spoke again. "If you have not noticed already, Darkstripe, former warrior of ThunderClan, comes to join WindClan. He saved my life earlier today against his own leader, and I find him worthy to join us. WindClan, what do you think?"

A small black she-cat, too young to be a warrior, spoke up. _Apprentices speak in meetings in WindClan?_ Darkstripe thought with surprise. "Can we trust him? Especially can we trust him by the ThunderClan border?"

"Nightpaw, if this cat has not proven his worth today after rescuing me," Tallstar replied, "then no cat is worthy."

Nightpaw nodded, but when she sat down, her eyes were narrowed. She accepted her leader's answer, but didn't know whether to trust this cat with the ThunderClan scent. Darkstripe didn't blame her. He hadn't wanted Fireheart to join originally. Another cat, a tabby warrior meowed, "Why should we trust him, even if he saved _your_ life. He fought his own leader? Wouldn't he turn against another Clan?"

"Tornear, only Darkstripe can answer you," Tallstar mewed unexpectedly, looking down at the young black warrior. "Darkstripe?"

Gulping, Darkstripe raised his head. His blue eyes were blazing. "You can trust me. ThunderClan is not the Clan it once was. Not with Tigerstar as leader. I can tell you he is the cat that murdered Mudclaw. I do not known for sure if he is the cat that murdered Onewhisker or not, but I can assure you that someday, we'll know."

"Why were you driven away then?" the young queen Ashfoot questioned.

"ThunderClan did not believe me when I spoke against Tigerstar," Darkstripe told the gray she-cat. "They sooner believed Tigerstar. After all, who wouldn't believe the great leader who supposedly avenged our old leader Bluestar's death?" There were gasps of horror from some of the WindClan cats.

"If any cat opposes Darkstripe becoming a WindClan warrior, speak up now," Tallstar meowed again. No cat said a word. "Then welcome Darkstripe, warrior of WindClan." WindClan chanted, "Darkstripe! Darkstripe!"

Darkstripe dipped his head. "Thank you, Tallstar. I won't forget what WindClan has done for me tonight."

Tallstar dipped his head to his new warrior. The black-and-white tom looked down upon the young apprentice Nightpaw. "Nightpaw, step forth."

The black she-cat, puzzled, walked up to the SkyStone, shivering. "Runningbrook," Tallstar called. "Do you consider your apprentice ready to become a warrior?" Nightpaw's eyes burst with joy then, gazing hopefully at the pale gray she-cat.

Runningbrook nodded, purring at her apprentice. "Yes, Tallstar. After driving away that fox on her own, no apprentice has been more ready."

Tallstar nodded. "Then come closer, young Nightpaw." Nightpaw padded up the slope to the top of the SkyStone. "I, Tallstar, leader of WindClan, call upon my warrior ancestors to look down on this apprentice. She has served your warrior code and she deserves to become a warrior. Nightpaw, do you promise to uphold the warrior code even if it means your life for your Clan?"

"I do," Nightpaw meowed. Darkstripe shivered. He remembered when he had said those words as Darkpaw. Bluestar had named him.

"Then I name you Nightcloud," Tallstar rang out. "StarClan honors your loyalty and your heart. Welcome, Nightcloud, warrior of WindClan."

"Nightcloud! Nightcloud!" WindClan chanted, and Darkstripe joined in. He was a WindClan cat now, wasn't he? Tallstar waved his tail for silence, and the warriors and apprentices fell silent.

"It is moonhigh," Tallstar announced. "As Mudclaw's life was taken, WindClan is in need of a new deputy." Tallstar's amber eyes fell on Darkstripe. "He may be a newcomer to WindClan, but he has proven himself worthy already. Darkstripe will be the new deputy of WindClan."

The cats were silent. They stared at the new WindClan deputy with awe and astonishment. Darkstripe was frozen. Deputy of ThunderClan and then deputy of WindClan? Was Tallstar alright?

"Darkstripe! Darkstripe!" Runningbrook began, and the silver tabby purred. The other WindClan cats took up the chant, but a young red-brown tom called, "Has he had an apprentice yet?"

"Pinepelt," Tallstar regarded the russet tom. "Darkstripe, Fernleaf was your apprentice once right?"

"Yes," Darkstripe meowed. "And so was Tawnypaw, before I…left."

Tallstar nodded. A tiny dark gray tom yowled, "But he is ThunderClan! How will the other Clans react to Darkstripe as deputy, especially at a Gathering? ThunderClan will call him traitor. They might attack, with Tigerstar at the head! We can't lose any more warriors!"

"You are wise beyond your years, Crowpaw," Tallstar purred.

"Mudclaw was my mentor!" Crowpaw yowled. "We can't trust ThunderClan!"

"Darkstripe has WindClan behind him now," Tallstar meowed. "We are strong. We can face ThunderClan." WindClan yowled their agreement.

As the cats dispersed, treating Darkstripe with new respect as the WindClan deputy. Darkstripe padded up to his leader. "Tallstar. I'm not sure I can do this."

"You are brave, young warrior," Tallstar meowed ominously. "But you will need even further support of WindClan if we are to free ThunderClan of Tigerstar. There must be four Clans in the forest."


	16. Chapter Fourteen

One moon passed. Darkstripe awoke in the gorse-sheltered warriors den to find that almost every cat was asleep. Rain poured outside and Darkstripe felt cold drops trickle down his fur. He scrambled to his paws and shook off the water. He was still not used to WindClan's way of living yet. He missed home.

_Stop it,_ he told himself. _WindClan is home now._

"Then why is Mousefur not here?" he asked the little voice sadly. His heart was torn after not seeing his forbidden love for a moon. Had she had her kits yet? And what would Tigerstar think?

The WindClan warrior padded out of his den, gazing up at the rain pouring down. It was getting hotter-greenleaf was approaching. Tonight was the Gathering, and tonight he would see what ThunderClan planned to do about him.

A rustle of branches made Darkstripe turn around. It was Runningbrook. Her pale green eyes were filled with sleep, but the small light gray warrior was awake otherwise. "Good morning, Darkstripe. How are you?"

"I'm alright, Runningbrook," Darkstripe meowed quietly. The WindClan she-cat was his closest friend in this Clan, and she could see the aching in his eyes.

"No, you're not. Was it a bad dream?" the warrior queen pondered.

"Close," Darkstripe replied softly. In fact, he'd dreamed about that starry night when he'd slept beside Mousefur in that old oak. When she'd saved him from a bad fall. His heart tossed and turned when he thought about her.

"Is it Mousefur?" Runningbrook whispered.

"..How do you know that?"

Runningbrook _mrrowed_. "I heard you muttering her name in your sleep? Is she your mate?"

"I hope so." Darkstripe's shoulders dropped. "I don't know if she waited for me."

"Do you love her? Does she love you?"

"Yes," Darkstripe murmured.

"Then she'll wait, Darkstripe," Runningbrook purred. Gently, she laid her tail on his shoulder. "Have faith in her."

Tallstar yowled from the SkyStone at sunset. WindClan approached the sloping stone as Tallstar cried, "Tonight is the Gathering. Accompanying Darkstripe and I will be Nightcloud, Tawnyfur, Whitetail, Tornear, Pinepelt, Redpaw, and Crowpaw. The rest of you, defend the camp. We can't trust any of the other Clans right now." The chosen cats padded to the edge of the gorse, waiting for their leader. Darkstripe padded to Tawnyfur, another friend he'd made.

"What do you think will happen at the Gathering, Darkstripe?" Tawnyfur pondered. "I hope ThunderClan doesn't try anything."

"Me too," Darkstripe agreed. "I don't want to drag WindClan into my problems though."

"Stupid!" Pinepelt purred. "You are WindClan. Whatever happens, we'll stand behind you, Darkstripe."

"Thank you," Darkstripe meowed gratefully to his friends. Runningbrook padded up to Darkstripe before the Gathering cats left.

"You'll tell me everything, right?" she demanded.

"Of course!" Darkstripe rumbled. "You'd have my fur for bedding otherwise!"

"And don't you forget it!" the gray warrior hissed playfully. Tallstar yowled, and the cats of WindClan bounded out of camp.

Redpaw was bouncing with excitement the whole time. The young ginger tom was going to his first Gathering, where he'd be able to see all the Clans. Nightcloud was his mentor.

"Will Leopardstar be there?" the red apprentice questioned Nightcloud.

"Of course!" Nightcloud responded. "She's RiverClan's leader!"

"And all the famous cats," Redpaw babbled. "Blackclaw, Whitestorm, Cedarheart…"

Darkstripe rolled his eyes. When WindClan ran into Fourtrees, the warriors surrounded Darkstripe, protecting him from ThunderClan eyes. Darkstripe felt grateful for their loyalty, even if he was once from an enemy Clan.

Tallstar leapt up to the Great Rock, not once addressing Tigerstar, but was speaking politely to Littlestar. Redpaw and Crowpaw ran off to say hi to the other apprentices and Tawnyfur and Pinepelt stayed near Darkstripe until both found their friends in another Clan. Darkstripe was alone.

"Darkstripe!" one familiar voice meowed. The black tabby turned around, ready to face a ThunderClan persecutor, but a ginger tom's green eyes shone into his.

"Fireheart!" Darkstripe rumbled. "How are you?"

"Fine," the ThunderClan warrior meowed. "What about you? What are you doing here anyway?"

"I'm the deputy of WindClan now," Darkstripe said quietly.

Fireheart tilted his head, shooting a glance at his leader. "Tigerstar won't like that."

"I don't care," Darkstripe hissed. "He can't hurt me. I have WindClan." Fireheart nodded, and Darkstripe couldn't take it any longer. "How is Mousefur?"

Fireheart purred. "She's a queen now," he explained. "Congratulations, you're a father."

"She had her kits?" Darkstripe asked breathlessly.

"Yes, stupid. How else could you be a father?"

"What are their names?" Darkstripe demanded. "What do they look like? How many? How's Mousefur?"

"Calm down," Fireheart chided. "Mousefur is…tired. She is brave for her kits, but you can tell something's not right. She told me to tell you she loved you."

Darkstripe's blue eyes were wide with fear for his mate. "The kits?"

"They are okay," Fireheart assured him. "Three kits. The pale brown tom is Mudkit. The little dark tabby tom-he looks just like you, blue eyes, silver fur-is Moonkit, and the little white she-cat is Icekit."

"Icekit…" Darkstripe whispered. Mousefur had named their only daughter after his murdered sister. Darkstripe purred. "Mudkit, Moonkit, and Icekit. I wish I could meet them."

Fireheart's eyes sparkled. "You can. I...I can ask Mousefur to bring them to the WindClan border when they're old enough. In a half-moon or so."

"When were they born?" Darkstripe asked softly.

"Moonrise, the day you were gone," Fireheart mewed gently. "The time you could no longer dwell in ThunderClan."

"Oh." That was all the WindClan deputy could say. "Fireheart…"

There was a yowl from the Great Rock. Tallstar had called for the Gathering to begin. "Leopardstar, would you like to speak first?"

"Yes," the spotted golden leader replied. The RiverClan she-cat pounced to the front of the Great Rock. "Everything is well in RiverClan for now. Our queen, Mosspelt, gave birth to a litter of kits. Their names are Ripplekit and Beechkit. And the river is full of prey." _No kidding,_ Darkstripe thought. _ Look at all of those fat RiverClan warriors._

"That is all," Leopardstar meowed, and then her amber eyes flashed. "Oh, yes. One more thing. We have not found who Stonefur's killer is yet, so we can only assume it was rogues, as ThunderClan suggested last moon." The RiverClan nodded to Littlestar. "Go on, leader of ShadowClan."

The small pale-brown tabby slipped past Leopardstar, and addressed the Clans. "ShadowClan has a new warrior. His name is Rowanheart. And our queen Tallpoppy also has new kits: Applekit, Marshkit, and Toadkit. We have no other leads on Cinderstar's death except for rogues, but ShadowClan is stronger than before." He gazed at the other leaders. "Our borders are secure as well." He nodded to Tallstar. "WindClan may speak now."

Tallstar dipped his head to Littlestar, and stepped up to the front. "Cats of all Clans, many things have happened in WindClan since we were here last moon. Our apprentice Nightpaw is now known as Nightcloud." The sleek black she-cat raised her head proudly as the Clans chanted her name, but it was over quickly. "We have a new apprentice named Redpaw." Redpaw puffed out his chest and his amber eyes shone in the moonlight. "WindClan has more rabbits than we have for moons this season," Tallstar announced. "And like ShadowClan, WindClan has tight borders."

Tigerstar nearly stepped up, but Tallstar's amber eyes flashed at ThunderClan's leader. "WindClan is not finished, Tigerstar. Our deputy, Mudclaw, was killed. Tigerstar, do you have anything to say?"

The dark tabby foe laughed. "I thought the Clans had this discussion last moon. ThunderClan is not responsible for these deaths."

"No," Tallstar meowed quietly. "_ThunderClan_ is not responsible." Darkstripe smirked when Tigerstar's tail lashed, copper eyes pricking with anger. Cats from ShadowClan and RiverClan were whispering among themselves, not knowing exactly what Tallstar meant. Fireheart whispered to Darkstripe, "You told Tallstar?"

"Didn't need to," Darkstripe responded. "Tigerstar nearly killed Tallstar. He knew I was innocent."

"I have named a new deputy," Tallstar yowled over the gossiping cats. The Clans fell silent. "His name is Darkstripe."

Familiar cries of disbelief rang from the ThunderClan cats over the congratulations from RiverClan and ShadowClan. WindClan warriors moved closer to Darkstripe, and the former ThunderClan warrior was grateful for their loyalty. Tawnyfur brought his lips back into a snarl.

Tigerstar's claws unsheathed. His amber eyes rested on Darkstripe when he spoke. "Tallstar. How could you appoint that cat deputy, let alone bring him into the camp?"

"He avenged Mudclaw's death," Tallstar hissed at Tigerstar. "He is a worthy deputy of WindClan."

"He took one of my lives!" Tigerstar screeched, and the Clans began to chatter restlessly.

"You have no right to speak," Tallstar murmured loud enough for everyone to hear. "You took one of mine."


	17. Updated Allegiances

**ThunderClan**

_LEADER – _Tigerstar – dark brown tabby tom with unusually long claws, amber eyes

_MEDICINE CAT – _Cinderpelt – dark gray she-cat with wide blue eyes

_WARRIORS_

Whitestorm – big white tom, yellow eyes

Runningwind – swift tabby tom

Longtail – pale tabby tom with dark black stripes, green eyes

Apprentice, Sunpaw

Ashfall – pale gray (with darker flecks), tom, dark blue eyes

Apprentice, Amberpaw

Snowclaw – white tom, dark blue eyes

Brackenfur – golden brown tabby tom, amber eyes

Dustpelt – dark brown tabby tom

Apprentice, Bramblepaw

Fireheart – flame-colored tom, emerald eyes

Brightstream – ginger-and-white she-cat with yellow eyes

Cloudheart – long-haired white tom

Apprentice, Tawnypaw

Thornclaw – big golden tabby tom

Swiftfoot – black-and-white tom

Sandstorm - ginger she-cat

_APPRENTICES_

Bramblepaw – dark brown tabby tom, amber eyes

Tawnypaw – tortoiseshell she-cat, green eyes

Sunpaw – gingery-golden she-cat

Amberpaw – tortoiseshell tom, amber eyes

_QUEENS_

Frostfur – pure white queen and dark blue eyes

Brindleface – pretty tabby

Goldenflower – pale ginger coat

Willowpelt – very pale gray queen, mother of Whitestorm's kits: Sorrelkit (calico she-kit), Rainkit (gray tom, blue eyes), Sootkit (black tom)

Mousefur – small dusky brown queen, mother of Darkstripe's kits: Mudkit (pale brown tom), Moonkit (dark tabby tom, blue eyes), and Icekit (pure white she-kit)

_ELDERS_

Halftail – dark brown tabby tom, formerly Sparrowpelt

Patchpelt – black-and-white tom, amber eyes

Dappletail – tortoiseshell she-cat

Speckletail – tabby queen

**ShadowClan**

_LEADER – _Littlestar – small light brown tabby tom

Apprentice, Dogpaw (long-haired brown tom)

_DEPUTY – _Brownpelt – small brown she-cat

_MEDICINE CAT – _Runningnose – small gray-and-white tom

Apprentice, Whitethroat (black-and-white tom)

_WARRIORS_

Stumpytail – brown tabby tom

Wetfoot – gray tabby tom

Oakfur – small white tom

Cedarheart – dark gray tom

Apprentice, Snowpaw (pure white she-cat)

Lightfeather – light ginger she-cat

Rowanheart – dark ginger tom

Darkflower – black she-cat

_QUEENS_

Tallpoppy – long-legged brown queen

**WindClan **

_LEADER – _Tallstar – black-and-white tom, amber eyes

_DEPUTY – _Darkstripe – silvery black tabby tom, vivid blue eyes

_MEDICINE CAT – _Barkface – short-tailed brown tom

_WARRIORS_

Tawnyfur – cream-colored white tom

Tornear – tabby tom with a nick in his ear

Apprentice, Crowpaw (dark gray tom with azure eyes)

Pinepelt – red-brown she-cat, dark green eyes

Nightcloud – black she-cat

Apprentice, Redpaw (ginger tom, amber eyes)

Runningbrook – pale gray she-cat

Webfoot – tabby tom

Hawkwing - golden brown tom

Heathercloud - small blue-gray she-cat, lavender-blue eyes

Apprentice, Antpaw (black tom with a brown underbelly)

Berryfur - dark ginger she-cat, leafy green eyes

Gorsetail - ginger-and-white tom

_QUEENS_

Morningflower – tortoiseshell queen

Ashfoot – gray queen

Whitetail – green eyes

_ELDERS_

Rushtail – light tan tabby tom

**RiverClan**

_LEADER – _Leopardstar – beautiful spotted golden she-cat, amber eyes

_DEPUTY – _Mistyfoot – blue-gray she-cat, blue eyes

Apprentice, Reedpaw (black tom)

_MEDICINE CAT – _Mudfur – long-haired brown tom

_WARRIORS_

Blackclaw – smoky black tom

Shadepelt – sleek dark gray she-cat

Loudbelly – dark brown tom

Graystripe – big furry gray tom, formerly of ThunderClan

Heavystep – big tabby tom

Apprentice, Dawnpaw (gray she-cat, yellow eyes)

_QUEENS_

Mosspelt – tortoiseshell queen


	18. Chapter Fifteen

"Is what he says true, Tigerstar?" Leopardstar demanded. The Gathering had fallen silent. "Did you do the thing Tallstar accuses you off?"

"No," Tigerstar hissed. "I have not even been on the WindClan border in the last moons. Tallstar, are you positive you have any right to blame me? After you take in a traitor as your deputy?"

"Darkstripe is a good cat!" Tallstar retorted. "Tigerstar, you do not want WindClan as your enemies. Admit what you did."

"I did nothing!" Tigerstar protested, and his voice sounded genuine. Darkstripe rolled his eyes. _Filthy liar._

"Tallstar," Littlestar meowed gently. "You are growing very old…are you sure it was ThunderClan that…"

"I'm not so old that I can't tell when a cat tries to kill me!" Tallstar hissed, but the fight was lost. ShadowClan and RiverClan believed Tigerstar.

"We may discuss this at the next Gathering," Leopardstar meowed. "Tigerstar, it is your turn to speak."

Tigerstar nodded, and the first words he said made Darkstripe hiss. "I forgive you Tallstar, for your wrong accusations. I know old age is hard for you."

Tallstar was perfectly still, amber eyes burning like a wildfire.

"ThunderClan is doing well," Tigerstar announced. "Sandstorm's kits are now apprentices. Their names are Sunpaw and Amberpaw. Sunpaw's mentor is Longtail and Amberpaw's is Ashfall's.

"We currently have no deputy after Darkstripe was banished."

"_What!_" a ShadowClan warrior, the newly named Rowanheart screeched. "That's against the warrior code!"

"What are you thinking Tigerstar?" RiverClan's Stormfur hissed. His sister, Feathertail, had her silvery fur fluffed out in disbelief.

ThunderClan began to argue with the other Clans. Tigerstar finally yowled," Silence! StarClan sent our medicine cat, Cinderpelt, a dream that had me standing alone at the head of ThunderClan."

"Cinderpelt?" Runningnose, the ShadowClan medicine cat, called. "What happened to Yellowfang?"

"Yellowfang died in her sleep," Tigerstar announced, and a ripple of grief passed through the Clans. Even Darkstripe felt sad.

"One of our queens, Mousefur, has given birth to three kits this moon," Tigerstar announced, his eyes glued to Darkstripe glitteringly. "Their names are Moonkit, Icekit, and Mudkit." While the Clans purred, Tigerstar flashed. "Mousefur has broken the warrior code, and shall be punished after her kits are apprentices."

"How?" Leopardstar pondered.

"The father of these kits is Darkstripe, deputy of WindClan," Tigerstar sneered. Tallstar pounced to his paws.

"Tigerstar," he hissed. "You haven't the right to say that here."

"That cat of yours has broken the warrior code and his mate has broken the law of ThunderClan."

"A WindClan cat mated with a ThunderClan warrior?" a little ShadowClan apprentice mewed.

"They were both ThunderClan at the time," Tallstar spat.

"Yes," Tigerstar agreed. "But Mousefur broke ThunderClan's law."

"That's twice you've mentioned that," Littlestar meowed. "What is it?"

"It forbids any ThunderClan cat in power to fall in love," Tigerstar shrieked. "Love blinds a cat of their duties. And Mousefur and Darkstripe deliberately clawed that law to shreds."

Every cat stared at Darkstripe, except for WindClan. Tallstar shook his head. "This Gathering is over! WindClan, let's go!"

Tigerstar stepped in Tallstar's path. "ThunderClan is not finished."

Tallstar gazed up at the moon. "Clouds are covering the moon. StarClan is angry." Tallstar leapt away without another word and left the other Clans behind. Before Darkstripe followed his leader, he turned to Fireheart. "Tell Mousefur I'm sorry. And that I love her."

"Yes, Darkstripe," Fireheart promised. "With luck, this omen from StarClan won't bring us any trouble."

Darkstripe gazed up at Tigerstar. "It will," he hissed. "As long as that cat breathes." Darkstripe sprang after his Clan mates, but wherever he walked, only Mousefur crossed his eyes.

_Oh, StarClan. What have I done to her?_


End file.
